The Story of Psyche: 4. The Vengeance of Venus

The monumental canvases depicting episodes in the adventures of Eros, the god of love, and his beloved, the mortal maiden Psyche, were created for the music room of Ivan Morozov’s mansion in Moscow. They are exhibited now in the reconstructed music room in The Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

In panel 4 of the series, Venus gives Psyche four tasks to accomplish. For the first three tasks, Psyche receives the help she needs and is able to overcome the evil vengeance of Venus. Venus’s next task requires Psyche to go into Hell to ask Persephone, wife of Hades, for a box of magic makeup. Psyche overcomes her fears and retrieves the box. Though she was warned to not look inside the box under any circumstances she was unable to restrain herself from peeking inside. To her surprise, there was nothing inside but darkness, which puts her into a deep sleep. Denis paints Psyche and Eros in the shadows with Venus standing triumphant in the light.