Lot 42

Johann Heinrich Tischbein st. (1722 - 1789) CUPID AND PSYCHÉ IN A LANDSCAPE

The motif of the dramatic love between Cupid and Psyché overcoming obstacles has fascinated artists since the beginning of history. Cupid and Psyché are the archetype of male and female beauty connected by love, but divided by nature – Cupid is a god, and Psyché is human. According to mythology, Psyché was so beautiful, Aphrodite herself was jealous of her. The thorny life path of Cupid and Psyché ends in happiness, as Psyché becomes immortal and gives birth to a daughter, Hedone. The scene on Tischbein’s painting expresses Cupid’s tender love for Psyché – while Psyché sits with a melancholy look on her face, the god decorates her hair with flowers. Johann Heinrich Tischbein came from a large family of painters and focused on portraits of nobility, mythological scenes, and paintings of historical events.