A lover who comes by night
Apuleius tells their story in The Golden Ass. Cupid visits Psyche by night, and she must never look upon his face.
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L'Amour et Psyché
François-Édouard Picot · 1817
NudityRead the context
Picot paints the tale of Cupid and Psyche, which Apuleius tells in The Golden Ass. Cupid comes to Psyche by night, and her lover forbids her to look at his face. Picot's L'Amour et Psyché was a success at the Salon of 1819.
Details
Look at how Cupid is shown. He was usually shown as a beautiful youth, but David painted him as an awkward teenager in his Cupid and Psyche of 1817. Compare that expectation with what Picot gives you, and keep the story in mind: Psyche's lover comes by night and forbids her to look at his face.
In its time
1817
Books from this period
In context
The beautiful youth
Cupid was usually shown as a beautiful youth. David broke with that convention in his Cupid and Psyche of 1817, painting him as an awkward teenager.
The Salon of 1819
Picot's L'Amour et Psyché was a success at the Salon of 1819.
On these book covers
Book covers use a cropped detail.