Psyche
1786
Jean-Baptiste Greuze, usually the king of sentimental family scenes, tried to crash the 'high art' party with this mythological portrait late in his career. He depicts Psyche with a flushed, wide-eyed expression of breathless wonder, her wild curls and pearl headband making her look more like a startled young woman than a distant goddess. This was a strategic move; the French Academy had snubbed him for years, refusing to let him paint history or mythology, so this 1786 piece was his way of proving he had the academic chops to handle the gods.
- Technique
- Oil on canvas
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