Cupid and Psyche
Guillaume Seignac captures a tender, mischievous moment between the mortal princess Psyche and the winged god of love, Cupid. In this classic Academic style piece, Cupid leans in close to whisper secrets, while Psyche looks back over her shoulder with a playful, knowing smile. Their story is one of mythology's greatest romances: Venus sent Cupid to make Psyche fall for a beast, but he accidentally pricked himself with his own arrow and fell madly in love with her instead. The lush, sun-dappled forest background and soft, realistic figures are hallmarks of late 19th-century French Academic art, designed to be visually pleasing and technically flawless.