The Story of Psyche: 1. Eros is Struck by Psyche's Beauty
by DENIS, Maurice, Oil on canvas, 394 x 270 cm
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.
In panel 1 of the series, we see three princesses in a Grecian kingdom - Psyche and her two sisters. All three sisters are beautiful but Psyche, who stands in the centre of the canvas, is the most beautiful and garners the most attention. Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, becomes jealous of Psyche and commands her son, Eros, to put a spell on her. Eros is represented flying over the head of Psyche in the top right corner.