Dome

Detail, heads and arms; Canova took his inspiration from a legend recounted by Latin author Lucius Apuleius in Metamorphoses. Canova seems to have undertaken extensive research before beginning this complex composition, whose inspiration is a Roman painting found in Herculaneum, a city the sculptor visited during his stay in Naples in 1787. Eros (Cupid in Latin) revives Psyche after she has tasted from a flask brought from Hades. It was designed to be looked at from several angles: this is why it could originally be turned on a mobile base, using the handle on the right. Source: Louvre Museum [website]; http://www.louvre.fr/ (accessed 4/15/2011)