Ancient Greek mythology gave a lot of ideas for creativity to great artists. Plots from myths can be found in painting (Botticelli, Doyen, Rene-Antoine-Ouasse, Rubens, Serov and many others), sculpture (Vincenzo de Rossi, Antonio Canova), literary creativity. Gods, heroes, various plots from myths were depicted by great artists. For example, the sculpture "Cupid and Psyche" by Antonio Canova reproduces the story of the tragic love of Psyche and the son of Aphrodite, the love deity of Cupid.
Description of the sculpture
There are two statues with this name, and both of them belong to Canova. Both are made of marble. The first (main photo) shows how Cupid revives Psyche with his kiss. The lovers gently embrace each other, joining in a kiss. Cupid is depicted with large wings, while the girl does not have them (although in mythology she was often described as a girl with butterfly wings). Height - 145 centimeters, the sculpture was made by order of an art connoisseur, collector Baron Cawdor.
The second sculpture depicts them standing,they are looking at a butterfly, symbolizing innocence. Here, neither Cupid nor Psyche has wings; they stand on a cylindrical pedestal. This work is a copy of the statue of an ancient master found on the Aventina.
Original story
For a long time, both sculptures did not leave Canova's workshop. This was due to the difficulty of their transportation. Many people who wanted to see the sculptures came to Canova's workshop. The statues remained there until the capture of Rome by Napoleon's troops.
In 1801 Grand Duke Joachim Murat bought both sculptures and moved them to his country mansion in Neuilly. By the way, Antonio Canova himself, during his visit to Paris, checked how his works were installed.
After Murat, the statues became part of the emperor's collection, and later (in 1824) part of the Louvre exposition, where they are today.
Copies of the statue
The sculpture "Cupid and Psyche" made a very strong impression on Prince Yusupov. In 1796, a replica of "Psyche Enlivened by Cupid's Kiss" was completed. It turned out to be a little smaller - its height was 137 centimeters. At first, the sculpture adorned the Yusupov Arkhangelskoye estate in the Moscow region. After the death of the prince, his son Boris brought the sculpture to St. Petersburg. For a long time she was in the palace on the Moika, and after the revolution was nationalized. Now the sculpture "Cupid and Psyche" in the Hermitage.
A copy of another sculpture was made later - in 1808 by order of the firstNapoleon's wife, Empress Josephine. After she died, the Russian emperor Alexander I bought the sculpture. Like the first statue, this replica of Cupid and Psyche is now in the Hermitage.
Bernini's piece
In St. Petersburg there is another statue with the same name. The sculpture "Cupid and Psyche" located in the summer garden is the work of Giovanni Bernini.
Acquired by her diplomat and agent for the purchase of works of art Yuri Kologrivov especially for the garden. For the sculpture, Bernini took the climax of the myth: Psyche, defying the prohibition of the gods, came to Cupid and, with a lamp in her hand, leans over him.
