Psyche's Meal in the Palace of Love - Lot 23

Psyche's Meal in the Palace of Love Paris tapestry, Atelier du Faubourg St Germain (Raphaël or Sébastien-François de la Planche) 17th century, circa 1660 Tapestry forming part of a hanging of the Story of Psyche Border attributed to Michel Corneille (1603-1654) H. 2.86 x W. 3.64 m H. 9ft 5 x W. 12ft Origin of the model : The central composition is inspired by the 16th-century Brussels hanging commissioned by François I, which formed part of Louis XIV's collections (see Vittet 2010, pp. 117-121) and was burned in 1797. The models for this earlier royal hanging were attributed to Michel Coxcie (1499-1592), then Pieter Coecke van Aelst (1502-1550); specialists also think of Jan Cornelisz Vermeyen (Vittet 2009, pp. 63-77). Iconography: The myth of Psyche is not found in Ovid's Metamorphoses, but in The Golden Ass or Metamorphoses by Lucius Apuleus (b. 125 AD). The legend recounts the misadventures of a princess whose great beauty had aroused the jealousy of Venus. Indeed, the princess was so beautiful that word had spread to neighboring cities that a new Venus was mingling with human society. The real Venus was understandably irritated. She asked her son, Love, to avenge the affront inflicted on her by Psyche. Psyche was kidnapped by L'Amour, who took her to his palace, where she was treated like a queen. But Love falls in love with Psyche. He visits her at night and makes her promise not to try to see his face; sacrilegious curiosity would be her undoing. Urged on by her sisters, Psyche cannot resist her curiosity. She loses Love and must face Venus' vengeance, who reserves many torments and trials for her. Jupiter finally listens to Eros' pleas and agrees to celebrate his marriage to Psyche; "and when the time came, they had a daughter whom we call Volupté", thus ends this beautiful legend. Related tapestries: The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum in Hartford (Connecticut, USA) has a fine set of five tapestries from Paris on L'Histoire de Psyché, woven in gold, including Le Repas de Psyché dans le Palais de l'Amour. In note no. 12, p. 77, Vittet, 2009, lists the various known 17th c. versions of Le Repas de Psyché. Materials and state of preservation : Finely woven in wool and silk (wool warp, wool and silk weft) Good condition, maintenance restorations Provenance : - United States Collection - Collection Galerie Chevalier - Sale Sotheby's London, Elstead collection September 19-20, 1995 - Paul Somers Collection - Paul-Louis Weiller Collection Bibliographical references : - Lucius Apuleus, L'Ane d'or ou les métamorphoses (translation from Latin into French by Pierre Grimal), Livre V.3 et V.4. - Maurice Fenaille, 1923, L'Etat Général des Tapisseries de la Manufacture des Gobelins depuis son origine jusqu'à nos jours 1600-1900, Vol. I, p. 287-292, a similar tapestry, but taller and narrower, is reproduced in the Museo nazionale du Bargello in Florence (also cited by Vittet 2009). - Jean Vittet, 2009, La Tenture de l'histoire de Psyché de François Ier dans Psyché au miroir d'Azay, Catalogue of the Exhibition at Château d'Azay-le-Rideau from May 20 to August 30, 2009, Jean Vittet, Arnauld Brejon de Lavergnée, 2010, La Collection de tapisseries de Louis XIV.