Description
David used the story of Cupid and Psyche to explore the conflict between idealized love and physical reality. Cupid, lover of the beautiful mortal Psyche, visited her nightly on the condition that she not know his identity. Cupid was usually depicted as an ideal adolescent, but here David presents him as an ungainly teenager smirking at his sexual conquest. David took inspiration from a number of ancient texts, including an obscure, recently published Greek poem by Moschus that describes Cupid as a mean-spirited brat with flashing eyes and curly hair.
Provenance
Giovanni Battista Comte de Sommariva [1760-1826], his sale February 18-23, 1839, sold to Dubois. (1839); (Dubois, Paris, France, February 18-23, 1839, lot 1) (1839); James Alexandre Comte de Pourtalès [1776-1855], Paris. France.; Pourtalès-Gorgier sale, Paris, France, March 27, 1865 (lot 242), ff 1,450 sold to Madame de Furtado, 1880. (1880); Madame de Furtado [1821-1896], Paris, France (1880-?); M. Eisenschitz ? (See distinguishing marks label); Prince Murat by 1913. Princesse Murat. Murat sale, Palais Galliéra, Paris, France, March 2, 1961 (lot 140), ff 245,000.; (Rosenberg & Stiebel, New York, NY sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art) (1962); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1962)
Accession Number
1962.37
Medium
oil on canvas
Dimensions
Framed: 221 x 282 x 10 cm (87 x 111 x 3 15/16 in.); Unframed: 184.2 x 241.6 cm (72 1/2 x 95 1/8 in.)
Classification
Painting
Credit Line
Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund
Tags
Color: Red Color: Orange Color: White
Background & Context
Background Story
《丘比特与普叙刻》是法国新古典主义大师雅克-路易·大卫（Jacques-Louis David）1817年的油画作品。画面描绘了古罗马神话中最动人的爱情故事：普叙刻（灵魂的化身）因好奇心点燃油灯窥视睡梦中的丘比特，一滴灯油惊醒了爱神，普叙刻即将失去他的瞬间。大卫选择了这一充满戏剧张力的时刻——丘比特正要展翅离去，普叙刻伸出双臂挽留，两人的目光与手势构成一个即将断裂的情感纽带。
这幅画创作于大卫流亡布鲁塞尔期间。1816年波旁王朝复辟后，作为前雅各宾派成员和拿破仑的御用画师，大卫被迫流亡比利时。在异国他乡，他转向神话与寓意题材，将政治激情转化为对古典爱情理想的表现。《丘比特与普叙刻》正是这一时期的代表作。
在技法上，大卫完美体现了新古典主义的严谨：人物如雕塑般立体，解剖结构精确，色彩以柔和的金色、红色与白色为主，背景的暗色调使主体人物愈发突出。普叙刻的裸体描绘遵循古典美学理想，而丘比特的翅膀与弓箭则为画面增添了神话氛围。这幅作品的构图平衡而富有张力，人物的对立倾斜形成充满动感的对角线。
Cultural Impact
作为新古典主义旗手的晚期作品，这幅画见证了大卫从革命画家到流亡者的身份转变。它将神话叙事与新古典主义的完美形体相结合，代表了19世纪初法国学院派绘画的最高水准。大卫对普叙刻与丘比特情感张力的处理，影响了后来浪漫主义对神话题材的重新诠释。
Why It Matters
这幅画是大卫流亡时期的杰作，将新古典主义的严谨技法与神话爱情主题完美融合。它不仅展现了大卫晚期风格的演变轨迹，也是19世纪法国绘画从新古典主义向浪漫主义过渡的见证。
