The Story of Psyche

The success of the Legend of St Hubert mural won Denis the admiration of Ivan Morozov (1871-1921), who in 1907 commissioned him to create a spectacular private decorative mural. As one of the most famous art collectors in Russia, Morozov’s sphere of interest encompassed French art, which included works by Paul Gauguin, Paul C�zanne and Vincent van Gogh.

Securing a major commission from such a collector was an important marker in Denis’s career. He created ten panels entitled The Story of Psyche, for the music room of Morozov’s mansion in Moscow. The monumental canvases depicting episodes in the adventures of Eros, the god of love, and his beloved, the mortal maiden Psyche, a tale from the novel Metamorphoses written in the second century by Lucius Apuleius Madaurensis (c. 124-170). In these canvases Denis moves away from his earlier Nabi icons, instead of using Greek mythology to tell his story of Christian humanity.

First presented in Paris in 1909, before being installed in Moscow, the complete work today is part of the collection at the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. This series of canvases show the work of a mature artist in his development of style, imagery and colour harmony across all canvases.

The photo shows a reconstruction of the music room interior of the mansion of Ivan Morozov in the Hermitage Museum.