Antonio Canova - Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss (c. 1793)

Title: Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss (Cupid and Psyche)
Artist: Antonio Canova (1757-1822)
Date: 1793
Medium: Statue made of marble
Dimensions: 155 x 168 x 101 cm
Location: Le Louvre, Paris, France
Photo credit: Jean-Pol Grandmont on Wikimedia in 2011

Antonio Canova’s "Cupid and Psyche" or "Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss" is a marble group made between 1787 and 1793, now in the Louvre. It shows the moment when Psyche, collapsed in a deathlike sleep, is brought back to life by Cupid. She has just awakened and twists upward from a rocky base, arms raised to encircle Cupid’s head. He kneels over her, wings spread in a soft arc, one arm supporting her shoulders, the other gently lifting her head toward his kiss.

The sculpture is a masterpiece of Neoclassical carving but emotionally close to Romanticism. Canova revels in the contrast between smooth, luminous flesh and the rough rock and drapery beneath them: Psyche’s body is partially wrapped in a thin cloth that clings to her hips and legs, emphasizing the softness of her skin. Cupid’s feathers, Psyche’s hair, and the delicate features of their faces are all minutely worked. The overall effect is effortless and vaporous grace.

Canova chose to capture an intensely intimate and photogenic instant as if time has suspended: Psyche’s arms have just risen; Cupid’s lips hover a breath away. Their forms lock into a swirling X-shape, inviting the viewer to circle around the piece to follow the diagonal of limbs, wings, and drapery. This dynamic, all-around composition is striking and could have been inspired by classical ballet which had been popular since the XVIIth century.

The sculpture’s real subject is tenderness itself. With its perfect balance of ideal beauty, technical bravura, and palpable emotion, "Cupid and Psyche" became one of the defining icons of Neoclassical sculpture, a worthy heir to Michelangelo.