The Cleveland Museum of Art

Cupid and Psyche

oil on canvasJacques-Louis David (French, 1748–1825)/1817

Description

David used the story of Cupid and Psyche to explore the conflict between idealized love and physical reality. Cupid, lover of the beautiful mortal Psyche, visited her nightly on the condition that she not know his identity. Cupid was usually depicted as an ideal adolescent, but here David presents him as an ungainly teenager smirking at his sexual conquest. David took inspiration from a number of ancient texts, including an obscure, recently published Greek poem by Moschus that describes Cupid as a mean-spirited brat with flashing eyes and curly hair.

Provenance

Giovanni Battista Comte de Sommariva [1760-1826], his sale February 18-23, 1839, sold to Dubois.; (Dubois, Paris, France, February 18-23, 1839, lot 1); James Alexandre Comte de Pourtalès [1776-1855], Paris. France.; Pourtalès-Gorgier sale, Paris, France, March 27, 1865 (lot 242), ff 1,450 sold to Madame de Furtado, 1880.; Madame de Furtado [1821-1896], Paris, France; M. Eisenschitz ? (See distinguishing marks label); Prince Murat by 1913. Princesse Murat. Murat sale, Palais Galliéra, Paris, France, March 2, 1961 (lot 140), ff 245,000.; (Rosenberg & Stiebel, New York, NY sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH

Dimensions

184.2 × 241.6 cm

Source

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Movement / Period

Modern European Painting and Sculpture

Accession No

1962.37

Official Citations

[The Cleveland Museum of Art Official Record][Full Resolution Image]

Curatorial Affinity Stream

Continuing the Universe of Jacques-Louis David (French, 1748–1825)

Modern European Painting and Sculpture • France, 19th century • Harmonious Works & Contemporaries

Continuous Discovery