The Story of Psyche: panel 7. Cupid Carrying Psyche Up to Heaven 1908

Maurice Denis made this panel, number seven in ‘The Story of Psyche’, with oil on canvas. He wasn’t trying to trick us with realism; instead, he’s laying down these simplified shapes and colours with a sense of pure joy. Look at the way he's built this world of sky and cloud with these loose brushstrokes. There's something so dreamlike in the way he handles the paint, almost like he's sketching with colour, isn't it? The pale blues and creams feel light as air, while the pinks of Cupid and Psyche give everything a soft, ethereal glow. Those little white birds dotting the sky add another layer of delicate movement. Denis doesn't hide his process; you can almost feel him making decisions as you look. Denis was part of a group called the Nabis, who were all about expressing emotions and spiritual ideas through simplified forms. You can definitely see that in the way he reduces the figures to their simplest, most graceful shapes. This reminds me a bit of Puvis de Chavannes, but with a more intimate, personal touch. It's like he's inviting us into his own private dream.