Cupid and Psyche 18th-19th century

Curator: Here we have Étienne-Charles Leguay's "Cupid and Psyche," housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. It’s an intimate watercolor drawing, measuring about 30 by 22 centimeters. Editor: It's ethereal, isn't it? Like a dream half-remembered. The soft washes of color give it an otherworldly feel. Are they floating on clouds? Curator: Precisely. Leguay is playing with the conventions of representing mythological scenes, evoking the lightness and airiness associated with divine love. The figures almost seem to dissolve into the cloudy background. Editor: I notice how Leguay uses the garland of flowers to connect the two figures and to lead our eye across the composition. It's like a gentle, visual embrace. Curator: The garland is symbolic, of course. In the story of Cupid and Psyche, love and soul are intertwined, tested by adversity, and ultimately united. Leguay uses the garland to suggest that union. Editor: It’s funny how such a small image can carry so much weight. I keep coming back to that tender connection between the figures, light as air and sweet as a daydream. Curator: Indeed, a testament to Leguay's skill in capturing the enduring power of love and the human condition.