As you walk through the Musée du Louvre you may come across a few figures over and over captured in the paintings and statues and wonder who they are. In this week's newest episode of Paris History Avec a Hemingway on La Vie Creative Podcast we share a little more about one of the most popular, Psyché et l’Amour.
Pysché was the beautiful daughter of a Greek king and had two sisters. Her sisters were joined in marriage to other royalty but Psyché was so beautiful that the men only wanted to look at her and not ask for her hand. Her father was distraught and went to the Temple of Apollo to talk to the Oracle of Delphi who told him Psyché was destined to be married to a beast that even the gods would fear.
There was only one thing to do. She was to dress in funeral attire and go to the highest peak in the area and meet her fate. Psyché and her father did just that and as they waited nothing happened. To end her pain she decided to jump to her death. As she fell Zephyr, the god of the West Wind arrived and carried her off to a meadow. When she awoke she wandered into a house of golden columns and cupboards filled with gold.
Heri-Joseph Rutxhiel
Zephyr enlevet Psyché
Richelieu Ground floor Salle 225
That first major moment of her story was captured in marble. Look closely at his hair, so amazing.
Drawn to the bedroom she lays down and an invisible being makes love to her. Night after night this man that she can not see comes to her. When she tells her sister about her nightly visitor they tell her that she needs to see who she is and make sure it is not the beast the Oracle had promised. One night while her mysterious love slept she crawled from bed and picked up an oil lamp and held it close to the face of Cupid. As she leaned over to take a closer look she was stunned at how beautiful the god of love was. Backing away suddenly she pierced herself with one of his arrows, the oil dripped on the handsome god and he was awoken.
Francois Nicolas Delaistre
Cupid et Psyché
Richelieu Ground Floor Ministers Staircase
This is one of my favorites and captures the moment of her betrayal. He lays back asleep and over his head she holds the lamp. It is one you need to see from all sides. On the base it also has a relief of Jupiter listening to the pleas of Venus, the departure of Mercury to take her to the gods and Psyché begging for cupid as he leaves her.
Cupid suddenly flees and is stunned by her betrayal. Psyché, abandoned and distraught, goes to the temple of Ceres and asks for help to find her love. However, she is a mortal and the gods could not assist her, but Venus might be able to. Venus was the mother of Cupid and she was already well aware of the beautiful mortal that was stealing the heart of her son.
Venus was known as the most beautiful woman in the world and wasn’t happy that her title was being threatened. She told Psyché she needed to complete four tasks and if she did that she would consider helping her, but these tasks were impossible and Venus figured she would be rid of her once and for all.
Augustine Pajou
Psyché Abandonée
Richelieu Ground Floor Salle 221
As she sits distraught after she lost her love Cupid due to her betrayal she hangs her head in shame. On the base it says “Psyché loses love by wanting to know it”
The first task was to separate a large pile of grains and beans. Psyché decided the task was too difficult and instead went to a wedding. That night when she returned drunk she was amazed to see the task was complete. The insects were drawn to her beauty and separated the grains and beans for her.
Task number two was to return to Venus the golden wool of the sheep of Helios. These sheep were very violent and as she tried to get close they would run her off. Suddenly a strong wind came through and their golden wool was blown off and caught on the briars which she could easily gather. Venus couldn’t believe she completed each of these tasks.
The third was to collect the black water from the river Styx that fell from the high rocks guarded by dragons. Jupiter saw the young girl struggling and sent his eagle to combat the dragons and to gather the water.
Adriaen de Vries
L’Enlevement de Psyché
Denon Ground Floor Salle 403
This bronze statue will stop you in your tracks. It captures the moment Mercury takes her and the vial to the heavens. Make sure to walk all the way around and catch every gorgeous detail.
The final task must be harder, she needed to put an end to this girl that was charming the gods and creatures. Her last task must be impossible. Psyché must bring back the drops from Proserpina, the queen of the underworld that would promise every lasting beauty. Psyché felt there wasn’t any way she could survive this and climbed to a tall peak where she was going to end her life. Suddenly she heard a voice that told her what she needed to do to pass the tests of the underworld. She must remain silent, bring cakes for the three headed dog Cerberus and two coins for Charon the ferryman and she would succeed.
Antonio Canova
Psyché Ranimeé par le baiser de l’Amour
Denon Rez-de-chaussée Salle 403, Galerie Michel-Ange
One of the most beautiful sculptures in the Louvre. Canova captures the moment when Cupid comes across Psyché after her curiosity got the best of her and opened the vial that Venus asked her to obtain from the underworld. She fell into a deep sleep and Cupid discovered her and picked her up in his arms and gave her a kiss. Canova created this in 1787 it would end up in the hands of Joachim Murat, brother in law to Napoleon who later gave it to the Louvre.
She did just that and obtained the vial and was instructed not to open it and began her return to Venus. Mercury takes her in flight to Venus but when she arrived her curiosity got the best of her and she opened the vial. With one whiff she fell into a deep sleep. In a lovely meadow of flowers Cupid discovered her and thought she had died. He picked her up and placed a kiss on her lips and she awakened. Knowing his mother was going to be a problem he took Psyché to Zeus and asked for his help and that he could marry her. He gathered the gods and they all agreed. Psyché was given a vial of Ambrosia to drink that would transform her to the Goddess of the Soul and Venus would have to accept her.
Francois-Edouard Picot
L’Amour et Psyché ou Psyché abandoned by Cupid
Denon 1st floor Salle 702
Cupid leaves their bed as he reaches for his arrows. Psyché reaches out to where is was beside her while she stays in her peaceful slumber
Francois Gérard
Psyché et Cupid
Sully 2nd floor Salle 934
Painted for the Salon of 1798. Cupid visits Psyché, but she doesn’t see him. He has fallen in love with her after his mother Venus sends him off to find the young beauty and to shoot with one of his arrows so she would fall in love with a hideous beast and fade away so Venus can keep her crown of the most beautiful. Above her head is a butterfly, her future symbol as the goddess of the soul.