{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O94281"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O94281/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2013GT3684/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2013GT3684/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2013GT3684","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2013GT3682","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2013GT3680","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2013GT3681","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2013GT3683","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2013GT3685","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2013GT3686","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006BG5277","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006BD1834","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AP1332","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KV7783","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KV7776","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KV7775","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O94281/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O94281","accessionNumber":"A.23-1958","objectType":"Figure group","titles":[{"title":"Cupid and Psyche","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Claude Michel, known as Clodion, was French but lived in Rome between 1762 and 1771. There he studied classical Roman sculpture, as well as the work of Michelangelo and Bernini. He was famous for small-scale terracotta groups, often made for private collectors. This work is thought to date from the late 1790s and be one of a group made by Clodion to re-establish his position after the Revolution and intended for returning emigré families.\r\n\r\nCupid is here represented as a young man with outstretched wings, conveying the swooning Psyche through the clouds, surrounded by 'amorini' or little winged putti (which are characteristic of Clodion's work - e.g. see also A.53-1951). \r\n\r\nThe story of Cupid and Psyche was by the 2nd century AD writer, Lucius Apuleius, in his 'Metamorphoses' (also known as 'The Golden Ass').  The widespread attention given to Psyche, the (mortal) daughter of a King and Queen, for her exceptional beauty, angers the goddess Venus greatly. She despatches her son, Cupid, to make her fall in love with a monstrous creature, but instead he falls in love with her himself.\r\n\r\nThis group demonstrates Clodion's skill in not only successfully combining and  intertwining a variety of elements in a very tight composition, but also in his vigorous working and tooling of the clay to create texture which contrasts with smooth skin adjacent.","physicalDescription":"Cupid and Psyche, terracotta figure group.  Cupid is represented as a young man with outstretched wings conveying the swooning Psyche through the clouds, assisted by four amorini.  Two others, one holding the remainder of an object that has been broken off (and which must have been a torch) fly at Cupid's left side.  Psyche is nude and Cupid wears a garland, which hangs over his right shoulder.  A long swirl of drapery passes over his left shoulder, across the legs of Psyche.  He supports her with his right arm; her left arm passes beneath his shoulders and their left hands touch.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Clodion","id":"A4004"},"association":{"text":"sculptor","id":"x43862"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"terracotta","id":"AAT10669"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Terracotta","categories":[{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Myths & Legends","id":"THES49005"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SCP","id":"THES48600"},"images":["2013GT3684","2013GT3682","2013GT3680","2013GT3681","2013GT3683","2013GT3685","2013GT3686","2006BG5277","2006BD1834","2006AP1332","2018KV7783","2018KV7776","2018KV7775"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"1","id":"THES263059"},"free":"","case":"CA17","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Group","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Paris","id":"x29068"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1797-1800","earliest":"1792-01-01","latest":"1801-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Sir Chester Beatty F.S.A.","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"59","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"32.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"base","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"43","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"maximum","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions from Object Card.","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'CLODION'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"terracotta","method":"inscribed","position":"at the back","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"Maker's identification","note":"Signed at the back. The N reversed as customary. "}],"objectHistory":"Given by Sir Chester Beatty FSA.","historicalContext":"This is probably the 'Abduction of Psyche', which was among the effects of Clodion at the time of his death.","briefDescription":"Group, terracotta, Cupid and Psyche, by Clodion, France, ca. 1797-1800","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Williamson, P. (ed.), <font -u>European Sculpture at the Victoria and Albert Museum</font -u>, London, 1996, pp. 166-7"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Poulet, Anne and Scherf, Guilhem, <u>Clodion</u>, Paris, Musée du Louvre, 1992 (exhibition catalogue), p.73 and fig. 44"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Keutner, Herbert. <u>A History of Western Sculpture - Renaissance to Rococo</u>, London, 1969, plate 335, p. 347"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Schneider, M., 'Verlassenwerden-Verlassensein. Zur Darstellung des Liebesschmerzes in der französischen Skulptor des späten Ancien régime', in <u>Bruckmann's <u>P</u></u><u>antheon</u>, XLVIII, 1990, fig. 25, p. 119."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Arnason, H. H., <u>The Sculptures of Houdon</u>, London, 1975, fig. 34, p. 6."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Cupid","id":"N31"},{"text":"Psyche","id":"N211"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"putti","id":"AAT250465"},{"text":"nudes","id":"AAT189568"},{"text":"garlands","id":"AAT167386"}],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"classicism","id":"AAT56513"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Cupid and Psyche\r\nAbout 1797–1800\n\nUnlike most Neoclassical sculpture made at this time, the treatment here is light and full of movement. Clodion specialised in intricately modelled, small-scale terracotta groups of mythological subjects. Educated people were familiar with classical myths, such as that of Cupid and Psyche. Owning works inspired by classical sources was a sign of wealth, education and taste.\r\n\r\nFrance (Paris)\r\nBy Claude Michel, known as Clodion\r\nTerracotta\r\nGiven by Sir Chester Beatty, FSA, LLD, DSc\r\n","date":{"text":"09/12/2015","earliest":"2015-12-09","latest":"2015-12-09"}},{"text":"CUPID AND PSYCHE\r\nFrench (Paris); Late 18th or early 19th century\r\nTerracotta\r\nBy Claude Michel, called Clodion, signed, (1738-1814)\r\n\r\nThis is possibly the group of the Abduction of Psyche which was amongst the effects of Clodion at the time of his death.\r\n","date":{"text":"1993 - 2011","earliest":"1993-01-01","latest":"2011-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["A.23-1958"],"accessionNumberNum":"23","accessionNumberPrefix":"A","accessionYear":1958,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LN8056","2019LU4078","2019LU2899"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-30","recordCreationDate":"2004-03-02","availableToBook":false}}