Psyche

This is a plaster version of Thorvaldsen’s marble Psyche (A821), missing the subject’s wings. In the mythological story, Psyche must complete a series of tasks set by Venus in order to marry Cupid.
The last trial Venus imposes on Psyche is a quest to the underworld. She is to take a box (pyxis) and return it to the overworld. As soon as she enters the light of day, however, Psyche is overcome by a bold curiosity, and can’t resist opening the box in hope of enhancing her own beauty. She finds nothing inside but an “Infernal and Stygian sleep”, which sends her into a deep and unmoving torpor.