A fine 17th Century Aubusson tapestry
Depicting Psyche Observing the Sleeping Cupid with Cupid reclining on a couch with her quiver of arrows and bow below. Psyche holds a lamp and a dagger in front of swagged curtains beside a balustrade, with the night sky in the distance with medieval symbolism of the crescent moon and the bat intertwined in the story. All within a grapevine border of pink, blue, and green.
A new cotton backing has been added, there is an old repair, however, the overall condition is very good and the colours are beautiful as can be seen in the photos.
There are loops the width of the tapestry that allow hanging securely.
The scene taken from Metamorphoses by Lucius Apuleius.
Venus sent her son Cupid to make Psyche fall in love with the most despicable of men, but Cupid himself fell in love with her.
He brought her to his palace but only visited her after dark, warning her never to look at him.
One night, curious, she lit a lamp to take a look at him but a drop of oil fell on him and he awoke.
His palace vanished and he disappeared. Psyche wandered the earth in search of him, performing near-impossible tasks set by Venus. Ceres and Juno intervened in vain with Venus and finally, Jupiter took pity on Psyche and carried her up to heaven where she married Cupid.
Shipping to Europe
9ft 2 inches 275 cm x 7ft 4 inches 225 cm
