Psyche's Entrance into Cupid's Palace [left fragment], from The Story of Psyche

Textiles

1756/63

After a cartoon by François Boucher (1703–1770), 1737–39
Woven at the Manufacture Royale de Beauvais under the direction of André Charlemagne Charron (director 1754–80)
France, Beauvais

Once the left and right parts of a larger hanging from a Story of Psyche series, these two tapestries portray the musicians and serving maids who welcomed the mortal Psyche, a beautiful young virgin, upon her chance arrival at the palace of the god Cupid. According to the version of the ancient Roman fable recorded in Lucius Apuleius’s second-century book The Golden Ass, Cupid and Psyche fell in love. The god visited her only at night so she would not learn his divine identity. One night Psyche was unable to restrain her curiosity and glimpsed Cupid’s face. She was banished for her disobedience but eventually recovered Cupid’s trust and love. Psyche’s story—with its characteristically human themes of loneliness, loss, despair, hope, and love—was already a popular subject when the cartoons for this series were commissioned on behalf of Louis XV (r. 1715–74) from the royal tapestry manufactory at Beauvais.

Status: Currently Off View
Department: Textiles

Artist: François Boucher
Title: Psyche's Entrance into Cupid's Palace [left fragment], from The Story of Psyche
Place: Beauvais (Object made in)
Date Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.: Made 1756–1763
Medium: Wool and silk, slit and double interlocking tapestry weave
Dimensions: 172.8 × 341.5 cm (68 × 134 3/8 in.)
Credit Line: Gift of Mrs. Chauncey McCormick and Mrs. Richard Ely Danielson
Reference Number: 1943.1236
IIIF Manifest The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world. Learn more.: https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/49222/manifest.json

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

Suggested Terms

Psyche's Entrance into Cupid's Palace [left fragment], from The Story of Psyche

Currently Off View

Date:

Artist:

About this artwork

Status

Department

Artist

Title

Place

Date Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Medium

Dimensions

Credit Line

Reference Number

IIIF Manifest The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world. Learn more.

Extended information about this artwork

Share

Explore Further

Sign up for our enewsletter to receive updates.

Gallery actions

Image actions

Share

IIIF Manifest The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.