The New Metamorphosis, Plate 6: The Story of Cupid and Psyche 1723 - 1724

Editor: This is William Hogarth's "The New Metamorphosis, Plate 6: The Story of Cupid and Psyche" from 1723-1724. It’s an engraving, so entirely in black and white. What strikes me is the dramatic lighting – that bright torch Psyche is holding contrasts so strongly with the rest of the scene. How does that detail, and the broader historical context, inform your reading of this piece? Curator: That contrast is key. Hogarth, while working within a Baroque aesthetic, uses this sharp contrast not just for drama, but to highlight a societal tension. Cupid and Psyche was a popular subject, often interpreted as pure romance. But look at how Hogarth depicts Psyche's "awakening." Editor: You mean, literally holding up a light to dispel darkness and ignorance? Curator: Precisely! Consider the Enlightenment's emphasis on reason and empirical observation. Hogarth, even as he depicts a mythological scene, comments on the burgeoning emphasis on rationality challenging established beliefs. The "establishment" in this context being conventional aristocratic artistic practices, yes? His inclusion in this scene, do you think it lends support to this argument, with all the figures depicted as idealized nudes that were then deemed academically meritorious? Hogarth seems to question traditional allegories. The museum system often reinforced classical standards. What do you make of this work today being held at the MET? Editor: That's a great question, since Hogarth’s artwork is accessible to all and transcends these elite contexts. What has struck me is the tension inherent in elevating a critique of elite institutions of education to a level of the arts deemed academically meritorious in a gallery setting like the Met. This artwork's home challenges visitors like us to consider broader changes to museum institutional function through art history and art education. Curator: Indeed. It's a constant negotiation, isn't it? Thinking about the politics of imagery is never far away, is it?