The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler

Date

Psyché dates from 1892. In October 1892 Whistler, then in Paris, told the poet Stéphane Mallarmé (1842-1898)‚ that if he came the next Friday he could see 'la Psyché - pour vous.' ¹

It was catalogued in MacDonald 1995 (cat. rais.) [more] (cat. no. 1352).

Images

Subject

Description

Unknown.

Technique

Composition

An allegory from Apuleius' Golden Ass describes how Cupid fell in love with the princess Psyche, and visited her every night. He remained invisible and forbade her to try and see him but one night she took a lamp and looked on him asleep. Several drawings showing a 'Mother and child' could be associated with this story, including Venus and Cupid m1296 and Mother and child m1294.

History

Provenance

Unknown.

Exhibitions

Unknown.

Bibliography

Catalogues Raisonnés

• MacDonald, Margaret F., James McNeill Whistler. Drawings, Pastels and Watercolours. A Catalogue Raisonné, New Haven and London, 1995 (cat. no. 1352) as 'Psyché'.