Psyche at the Bath, panoramic Empire-style wallpaper, re-edition of Dufour's 1815 design

Large panoramic wallpaper in grisaille depicting an episode from the life of Psyche, specifically the main scene: Psyche at her Bath. The original series of this famous wallpaper was produced by the Dufour Manufactory in 1815. Louis Lafitte (1770-1828) and Merry-Joseph Blondel (1781-1853) created the composition based on designs by François Gérard (1770-1837) and Pierre-Paul Prud'hon (1758-1823). The entire design was drawn and engraved by Xavier Mader (1789-1830). The twelve scenes of Psyche's story are based on Jean de La Fontaine's novel "The Loves of Psyche and Cupid" (1669), itself inspired by Apuleius's tale "The Golden Ass" (2nd century). Our wallpaper is a decorator's reproduction, a photomechanical print from the 1950s.

In Greco-Roman mythology, Psyche is a mortal princess, so beautiful that men abandon the temples of Venus to admire her. Venus, jealous, decides to punish her by ordering her son Cupid (Eros) to make her fall in love with a monster. But Cupid, upon seeing her, falls in love with her. He carries her off to an invisible palace where he visits her every night, without her ever seeing his face. Here, Psyche symbolizes blind love, trust, and the desire to know.

This scene, entitled "Psyche at the Bath," depicts the princess's ritual purification, a symbolic prelude to her mystical union with Cupid. The scene, created by Gérard and Prudhon, showcases all the neoclassical canons of the Empire period, with an elegant grisaille composition.

A beautiful and spectacular set, ideal for complementing an early 19th-century décor. Superb.

Our wallpaper is in perfect condition. It consists of four strips, each 183cm high by 53cm wide, for a total composition of approximately 210cm x 183cm.

Ref: 23LSDCEXN1