A SET OF SEVEN GRISAILLE PAPIER PEINT PANELS

PRINTED FROM THE ORIGINAL WOODEN BLOCKS IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY, BY DESFOSSÉ & KARTH FROM 1815 DESIGNS BY MERRY-JOSEPH BLONDEL AND LOUIS LAFFITTE FOR THE MANUFACTURE DUFOUR

细节

A SET OF SEVEN GRISAILLE PAPIER PEINT PANELS
Printed from the original wooden blocks in the early 20th Century, by Desfossé & Karth from 1815 designs by Merry-Joseph Blondel and Louis Laffitte for the Manufacture Dufour
From the Psyché series, the various panels depicting 'Psyché' and 'Amour' both from 'Psyché abandonnée', 'Psyché allant aux Enfers', 'Réunion de Psyché et de l'Amour', 'Réconciliation de Vénus et Psyché', 'Psyché voulant poignarder l'Amour endormi' and 'Psyché montrant ses bijoux à ses soeurs', with separate and probably incomplete borders, 'Psyché' and 'Amour' originally one panel and now probably incomplete, laid down on linen; and two panels of allegorical still-lives, possibly early 19th Century, one of a lyre and a Greek helmet and two doves, the other with a casket and an anthenienne
The various panels 42½ in. x 24 in. (108 cm. x 56 cm.); 21½ in. x 21½ in. (55 cm. x 55 cm.); 73½ in. x 22½ in. (187 cm.x 58 cm.); 73½ in. x 22 in. (187 cm. x 57 cm.); 72½ in. x 65¼ in. (185 cm. x 166 cm.); 73½ in. x 43 in. (187 cm. x 109 cm.); 73½ in. x 86 in. (187 cm. x 219 cm.); 23½ in. x 43¾ in. (60 cm. x 111 cm.) and 23½ in. x 44½ in. (60 cm. x 113 cm.), respectively (9)

拍品专文

These wall-paper panels form part of the Psyché series executed in 1815 by Merry-Joseph Blondel and Louis Laffitte for the Manufacture Dufour. This series, originally comprising twelve panels, is directly inspired by the romantic novel of La Fontaine Les Amours de Psyché et de Cupidon, and was exhibited at the 1819 Exposition des Produits de l'industrie where it was awarded a silver medal. The series was reprinted by Desfossé & Karth in 1872, 1889, 1905, 1923 and 1931.

Psyche's beauty aroused Venus's envy. She sent Cupid to cause her to fall in love with someone worthless. Cupid, however, fell in love with her himself, and brought her to his palace, where he only allowed her to visit him in darkness. Psyche, curious and urged on by her jealous sisters, tried to glimpse her mysterious lover with an oil lamp, wakening Cupid by accident when spilling a drop of oil on him. He vanished along with his palace. After performing various arduous tasks for Venus, Psyche was eventually reunited with Cupid with Jupiter's help, who took pity on the couple.