Cupid And Psyche - Étienne-Henri Dumaige (1830–1888)

A magnificent bronze sculpture with a brown patina, accented with delicate gold highlights, depicting Cupid and Psyche, based on a model by the French sculptor Étienne-Henri Dumaige (1830–1888). This enchanting mythological composition illustrates one of the most poetic themes of antiquity: the love uniting Cupid, the god of Love, and Psyche, the symbol of the human soul. The two figures are depicted in a graceful and tender pose, walking side by side, hands clasped, and adorned with delicate garlands of flowers. The sculpture stands out for the finesse of its modeling, the gentleness of the expressions, the elegance of the poses, and the remarkable rendering of the drapery. The subtle gilded highlights add luminosity and refinement to the bronze’s brown patina. The piece rests on a circular bronze pedestal, mounted on an elegant red marble base veined with white. A work full of charm and poetry, characteristic of the Romantic style and French decorative sculpture of the second half of the 19th century.

Signature: “Dumaige sculpt.”, on the pedestal.
Materials: Bronze with a brown patina and gilded highlights; red marble base.
Period: 19th century.

Dimensions: Height 64 cm × width 30 cm × depth 35 cm.
Height of the marble base: 7 cm.
Height of the bronze without the base: 57 cm.

Étienne-Henri Dumaige (1830–1888) was a 19th-century French sculptor, particularly renowned for his allegorical, mythological, and historical compositions. His work is characterized by the elegance of his figures, the precision of his modeling, and the dynamism of his compositions. In particular, he created numerous works in bronze that exemplify the artistic richness of French sculpture during the Second Empire and the early decades of the Third Republic.