AFTER ANTONIO CANOVA (ITALIAN, 1757-1822)

The present marble is an exquisitely carved rendering of neoclassical sculptor, Antonio Canova’s masterpiece, Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss (1787-1793). Originally commissioned by Colonel John Campbell (later Lord Cawdor) and subsequently acquired by Prince Joachim Murat in 1801, this sculpture – which combines antique inspiration with a decidedly modern and daring composition – is today in the Musée du Louvre (M.R. 1777).