Cupid and Psyche, after Thorwaldsen c. 19th century

Curator: This is Luigi Pichler’s "Cupid and Psyche, after Thorwaldsen," a delicate intaglio. Its modest dimensions create a world of intimacy. Editor: It feels fragile, almost ghostly. The figures seem to emerge from a dream. It evokes the ephemerality of love, the fleeting nature of beauty. Curator: Precisely! Pichler, working in the early 19th century, translates Thorvaldsen's neoclassical sculpture into a small, portable format. The mythology is front and center, but so is the changing notion of love and beauty. Editor: The choice of portraying this particular myth speaks to the cultural moment, a fascination with transformation and the acceptance of non-normative desire. Curator: True, the story of Psyche, whose name means "soul," seeking true love through trials, resonates even now. It's about inner beauty triumphing over superficial judgment. Editor: Right, it reminds us that perceptions are always mediated by social and political realities. Curator: This small artwork packs a punch when we consider its historical weight. Editor: Absolutely. It invites us to reconsider the stories we tell ourselves about love, gender, and power.