Marie-Guillemine Benoist, Psyche Bidding Her Family Farewell, 1791

The year is 1791. France is in the throes of the Revolution, and the future of the country is in turmoil. This painting is of a mythological story, but it speaks to the political moment much more than we might at first think. Let’s take a closer look.

On the far right we have Psyche, in a white dress, embracing her mother for the very last time. Their emotions are illustrated by both the stormy sky behind and the crystal-like tears that fall from their eyes. Also in a state of suffering is Psyche’s father, dressed in red on the far left, with his head buried in his hand, while her sisters comfort each other. The figure praying is the oracle of Delphi.

Here’s Emily Beeny, Chief Curator of the Legion of Honor and Barbara Wolf Curator in Charge of European Art, to explain the story.

The story of Cupid and Psyche begins as a tragedy and ends as a comedy. Psyche is the daughter of a king and her father receives a prophecy from the Delphic oracle saying that his daughter will marry a creature of immeasurable destructive power. So in order to save the kingdom from the predations of her anticipated bridegroom, Psyche’s family decides to abandon her on a rock overlooking the sea. And so the moment depicted in Benoist’s painting is that moment of parting, when Psyche’s parents are about to leave her behind to be claimed by her monstrous bridegroom.

Of course, the creature of immeasurable destructive power invoked by the sibyl, was actually Cupid, god of love, who ends up as the spouse of Psyche and the happy ending of the story. And it is that later portion of the story that’s usually represented by artists in the period — the love story bit with the two lovely nudes as opposed to this turbulent, tragic moment of, sort of, wrenching family drama that Benoist has selected.

What makes Benoist’s version interesting — and different to most — is that Cupid is not present, and we see the story from Psyche’s perspective. Benoist makes us feel the agony Psyche experienced leaving her family, and we empathize with the sacrifice she has to make.

Benoist was 23 years old when she made and exhibited this painting in 1791. That year marked the first time the biannual Salon in Paris was open to those who weren’t members of the Royal Academy. And this opened the door for more women to submit and exhibit their work.