Psyche

Psyche

John William Waterhouse, 1849-1917

Oil on canvas

1903

Anthony Hobson says that contemporary critics were "unanimous of their praise" of this painting, adding that he was drawn to the model and the subject, but that repetition did not matter, because "the figure was always human, sensitive, and never a mere stereotype" (81). [Click on the image to enlarge it. Commentary continues below.]

Image credit (with thanks): jwwaterhouse.com. Text by Jacqueline Banerjee, and formatting by Banerjee and George P. Landow.