Psyche c. 1918 - 1919

Curator: Here we have Alfred Turner’s marble sculpture, "Psyche," residing in the Tate Collections. The goddess stands about 1.7 meters tall. Editor: It feels so serene, yet there’s a palpable tension in her gesture, as if she's about to release something. It projects the burden of secrets, perhaps? Curator: The myth of Psyche is all about testing and transformation, often depicted with butterfly wings, which are absent here. I wonder about Turner's decision to focus on her human form. Editor: Perhaps Turner aimed to present Psyche at a vulnerable moment, before her apotheosis, highlighting the socio-political limitations placed on women's bodies in the period. This classical rendition feels remarkably contemporary. Curator: Precisely, it reminds us that classical symbols and myths are always being reinterpreted. How the artist stripped her from the expected wings gives power to the woman herself. Editor: That's a thoughtful point. It encourages a deeper reflection on the cultural memory of beauty and transformation.