‘Adam and Eve’ – Louis Jules Trager, Sevres
Art Nouveau 1925
The Psyching of Cupid
The original story of Cupid and Psyche appeared in the 2nd century AD in a story called ‘Metamorphoses’ which was written by Platonicus. This was a tale of the struggle to overcome obstacles in love featuring Psyche {soul} and Cupid (desire). Eros, which is also a name for Cupid, had been appearing with Psyche via Greek art and sculpture since the 5th century BC. Other gods also featured with them including Venus, Amore, Mercury and Jupiter. The story was retold in poetry, drama, and opera through the ages and depicted widely in painting and sculpture inspiring many artists, especially after it reappeared during the Renaissance. Frollicing couples, courting couples, hopeless romantics, betrayal, infidelity, unrequited love mixed with joy, despair, elation, romantic trysts, love quests, separation, connection with doses of torment, pain and delirium. All the romatic cliches were on display.
Romances were typically based around themes such as the supernatural, wandering, exploration and discovery. They often featured exotic, fantastical locations with themes of transgression and redemption, loss and retrieval, exile and reunion. The story was popular on the spinners circuit (females on spinning wheels) and also a favourite with wandering minstrels.
Psyche looking at Cupid sculpture
John Collier: The Death of Cleopatra (1890)
Some of these popular romantic tales and epics of the past had a strong emphasis that falling in love was fraught with danger and tragic consequences. Orpheus was so distraught at the loss of Eurydice that his emotionally charged songs made the gods and nymphs weep to the extent that she was eventually granted resurrection. He then went on to lose her again when bringing her back from the underworld, this time permanently. Cleopatra and Marc Antony was another famous tale of tragedy in love, both dying from a false communication of the others well being.. Rama had success in rescuing his kidnapped partner Sita from the demon Ravana in the Ramayana epic, but she had to throw herself on his funeral pyre to prove her loyalty, which had been questioned. Sir Lancelot, had to rescue Queen Genevieve from being burned at the stake for her adultery with him. This had weakened the rule of King Arthur and led to Lancelot ending his days as a lowly hermit and Guinevere became a nun at Amesbury where she died. Helen of Troy was reunited with King Menelaus in Homers Illiad but it took an army and a war to achieve this.
Cupid sometimes appeared blindfolded to convey the message that love is blind. Shiva, the Lord of Transcendence probably had the right idea when the Hindu cupid Kamdeva paid him a visit to make him infatuated with Parvati. He blasted him with a flame from his third eye due to Kamadeva’s arrow disturbing his meditation.
Bernard Kapfe – Lovers
1945
The Aesthetic genre at the turn of the 20th century rekindled the spirit of beauty and romance while Art Nouveau had a tendency to display numerous forlorn maidens and nymphs pining wistfully for a lover or in some sort of emotional suspension in a nature setting deep in a forest next to an enchanted pond. All the famous pottery companies in Europe – Zsolnay, Bohemian Amphora, Italian Capodimonte, Austrian Goldscheider, Royal Dux created pieces with a romantic aesthetic.
The French ceramicists Jean Mayodon, Edouard Cazaux, Rene Buthaud, Rene Crevel and Charles Catteau all flirted with romantic themes, and displayed their innate romantic flair in design and decoration, usually classically inspired in style while infused with Art Deco designs and Fauvist colours and freedom.
The love mood in Art Deco became more sophisticated and modern with liasons occurring in cafes or trendy gatherings. Love became more calculated and business like and less compulsive, but artists like Demetre Chiparus, Erte, Fasyral and Pierre le Faguays kept the romantic spirit churning.
‘Dante meets Beatrice at Ponte Santa Trinità’, by Henry Holiday
1883
Love saith concerning her: “How chanceth it
That flesh, which is of dust, should be thus pure?”
Then, gazing always, he makes oath: “Forsure,
This is a creature of God till now unknown.”
She hath that paleness of the pearl that’s fit
In a fair woman, so much and not more;
She is as high as Nature’s skill can soar;
Beauty is tried by her comparison.
Whatever her sweet eyes are turned upon,
Spirits of love do issue thence in flame,
Which through their eyes who then may look on them
Pierce to the heart’s deep chamber every one.
And in her smile Love’s image you may see;
Whence none can gaze upon her steadfastly.
..Dante Alighieri
Meissen porcelain vase
1895
Theodore Riviere sculpture of ‘Sarah Bernhardt à Carthage’
1900
Cappy Thompson, ‘The Calling’
‘Seduction’ – Akio Takamori
Alejandra Franco – ‘Dancers’
2013
‘Devoted’ – Andre Methey
million.com
‘A Chinese love song’ – Marygold Print
‘Elation’ – Rosenthal Art Deco Porcelain Female Figure by D. Charol
1930’s
‘Desire’ – Aristide Maillol – 1906-1908
Museum of Modern Art – New York
Art Deco Vase Longwy – Pomona Bon Marché
Itzik Ben Shalom – ‘Embracing Couple’
Bertel Thorvaldsen – – ‘Amor and Psyche’
photo Maicar Forlag
Camille VandenBerge – ‘Love Struck’
2009
Edouard Cazaux figural vase
Edouard Cazaux
Celestial Sun Moon Mosaic wall art
Clement Massier—Sculptural Art Nouveau lustreware bowl
1900
‘Fancy Dress’ – Demetre Chiparus
‘Dreamer’ Monica Wyatt
Edouard Cazaux
Eduard Ghazaryan – ‘Lovers’
Louise Burgeois. ‘The Couple’ metal sculpture
Ekeberg Park, Oslo, Norway
‘Persee and Andromede’ – Delamarre Raymond
France
Elliott Erwitt
Magnum Photos
Etruscan wall relief of couple – Vulci
‘Kiss in Venice’ – futurist Fortunato Depero
1906
Frances MacDonald – ‘Ophelia’
(click to expand) 1898
Ima Naroditskaya
‘Intimate Encounter’ – WonLee 2006 32 inches height
ISABELLA GARRUCHO FINE ART
Twin handles baluster vase with nude figures – Jean Mayodon
‘Lovers’ – Joe Joseph
Carved from lemon opal
Jeremy James ceramics – Owl pair
Kim Mosley – ‘Entangled Passion’
Meeting the Boatman – German vase 50’s
Romantic couple figurine – Limoges
‘Sea Sprites’ – Louis Chalon (French 1866-1940)
circa 1895
‘Love changes everything’ vase – Jenny Orchard, AUS
earthenware with glazes and enamels, 47 x 34 x 38cm
‘Love playing on a shamisen’ – Larisa Churkina
Rene Buthaud female mandolinist vase
The Kiss – Lyuben Pashkulski
Cappy Thompson painted glass panel
‘Lovers in a Pavillion’, 17th century Tamil Nadu
Love frolic clock
‘Goodbye’ – Sevres vase
Meissen figurine ‘Pantalone and Columbine’ – Modeled by Johann Joachim Kändler
1740
Photo Maggie Nimkin
Mid Century Modern Haegar Pottery Statue ‘Lovers’
20″ Tall
Female violinist wood carving – Nairi Safaryan
‘One With the Universe’ by Martin Eichinger
Quent Cordair Fine Art
Outdoor sculpture by Auguste Ottin – ‘Polyphemus Surprising Acis and Galatea’
1852
‘Love is a Battlefield’ – Penny Byrne, Australia
‘Pierrot and Columbine’ dancing figurine
Potiche Roaring Twenties – René Crevel
Cupid and Psyche – 16th Century sculpture
‘Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss’ by Antonio Canova; group in marble . (1787)
Louvre
Tivadar Kosztka Csontváry ‘Rendezvous of lovers’
1902
René Buthaud (France 1886-1987) vase, gilded glazed earthenware, 1930.
Musée des Arts décoratifs, Paris.
Zsolnay Lovers eosin lustre vase
Shiva & Parvati
René Buthaud (France 1886-1987) vase, gilded glazed earthenware, 1930.
Musée des Arts décoratifs, Paris.
Dancing Maenad and a Satyr – Etruscan, Terracotta and pigment
500 – 475
Demetre Chiparus Russian Dancers
Frank Bernard Dicksee – ‘The End of the Quest’
‘Enrapture'[‘ female sculpture – Pauline Wateau
2006
Mid Century ‘Joined at the Hip’ modernist candlestick holders
‘The Embrace’ – The Pier Group
Burning Man 2014
Theodor Lundborg for Royal Copenhagen Monumental ‘Waves and Rock’ Porcelain Figural Sculpture
ca. 1897
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