Bronzeexpand_more
The William Hood Dunwoody Fundexpand_more 74.24a,b
In 1783, sculptor Augustin Pajou was commissioned to execute a sculpture for the entrance of the Salle des Antiques in Paris that would serve as a pendant piece to Cupid Carving a Bow from Hercules’ Club by Edme Bouchardon (1698-1762). Pajou's plaster model of the nymph Psyche, depicted as having just been abandoned by Cupid, created a scandal at the Salon of 1785, where its nudity was considered to be licentious. The work was withdrawn from the exhibition, but Pajou's life-size version in marble earned great critical acclaim when completed in 1790. Pajou subsequently modeled two terra-cotta statuettes based upon the popular sculpture, as well as bronze reductions.
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know