拍品專文
Guillaume Seignac studied with William Adolphe Bouguereau,
Robert-Fleury, and Gabriel Ferrier, and his paintings adhered to
the tenants of the traditional style and subject of these
contemporaries. He exhibited frequently at the Paris Salon and
was a member of the Sociétaire des Artistes Français. A superb
colorist and draftsman, Seignac enjoyed the patronage of both
French and American collectors. The Awakening of Psyche is
executed with a high degree of finish, the figure of Psyche
presented as an idealized beauty and her contraposto pose is taken
from ancient models. Moreover, Seignac takes great care to
recreate a Roman interior with almost archaeological accuracy--the
oil lamp, bed, drapery and architecture give the painting a sense
of historic verisimilitude which was highly regarded in mid-19th century Salon painting.
The text of the painting is taken from the Latin, 2nd century
A.D. writer, Apuleius. Psyche, was the youngest daughter of a
king and her beauty was said to rival that of Venus. This
angered Venus who sent her son, Cupid, to shoot Pysche with an
arrow so that she might fall in love with an ugly creature and
thus bring about her own ruin. Cupid, however, fell under the
captivating spell of Psyche's beauty and could not carry out his
mother's wishes. Through Apollo's oracle, Cupid became Psyche's
husband but did not reveal his identity to her. One night, at
the bidding of her jealous sisters, Psyche gazed upon her husband
and his true identity was revealed to her for the first time.
Cupid awoke to discover her treachery and fled from her. Psyche
was forced to turn to Venus herself for assistance, and the
goddess, still revengeful, put the maiden through a series of
seemingly impossible tasks which, in turn, Psyche completed
successfully. However, the last task proved too tempting for
Psyche: she peaked into Proserpine's box which Venus had told her
was full of beauty and fell into a deep sleep. The Awakening of
Psyche takes its subject from this juncture in the story--the
moment thereafter, when Cupid awakens Psyche. The pair then visit
Jupiter, who makes Psyche a goddess and formally marries the
two--the god of Love with the goddess of Soul.
Robert-Fleury, and Gabriel Ferrier, and his paintings adhered to
the tenants of the traditional style and subject of these
contemporaries. He exhibited frequently at the Paris Salon and
was a member of the Sociétaire des Artistes Français. A superb
colorist and draftsman, Seignac enjoyed the patronage of both
French and American collectors. The Awakening of Psyche is
executed with a high degree of finish, the figure of Psyche
presented as an idealized beauty and her contraposto pose is taken
from ancient models. Moreover, Seignac takes great care to
recreate a Roman interior with almost archaeological accuracy--the
oil lamp, bed, drapery and architecture give the painting a sense
of historic verisimilitude which was highly regarded in mid-19th century Salon painting.
The text of the painting is taken from the Latin, 2nd century
A.D. writer, Apuleius. Psyche, was the youngest daughter of a
king and her beauty was said to rival that of Venus. This
angered Venus who sent her son, Cupid, to shoot Pysche with an
arrow so that she might fall in love with an ugly creature and
thus bring about her own ruin. Cupid, however, fell under the
captivating spell of Psyche's beauty and could not carry out his
mother's wishes. Through Apollo's oracle, Cupid became Psyche's
husband but did not reveal his identity to her. One night, at
the bidding of her jealous sisters, Psyche gazed upon her husband
and his true identity was revealed to her for the first time.
Cupid awoke to discover her treachery and fled from her. Psyche
was forced to turn to Venus herself for assistance, and the
goddess, still revengeful, put the maiden through a series of
seemingly impossible tasks which, in turn, Psyche completed
successfully. However, the last task proved too tempting for
Psyche: she peaked into Proserpine's box which Venus had told her
was full of beauty and fell into a deep sleep. The Awakening of
Psyche takes its subject from this juncture in the story--the
moment thereafter, when Cupid awakens Psyche. The pair then visit
Jupiter, who makes Psyche a goddess and formally marries the
two--the god of Love with the goddess of Soul.