Psyche in the Underworld
(Psyché aux enfers)
1865
Medium
oil on canvas
Measurements
117.0 × 90.0 cm
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Gift of Gustave Curcier Esq., 1872
Gallery location
19th Century European Paintings Gallery
Level 2, NGV International
About this work
Hillemacher chose the mythological tale of Psyche’s venture into the Underworld for his Paris Salon painting of 1865. Although Psyche was a mere mortal, her beauty incurred the jealousy of the goddess Venus who set Psyche a series of ordeals, including forcing her into the Underworld to obtain a portion of Persephone’s beauty. Here Psyche is crossing the river Styx, after which she will encounter Cerberus, the three-headed dog of Hades who lurks on the right hand side of the painting. Cerberus guards the gates of Hades and allows the dead to enter, but never leave. Psyche knows to feed Cerberus a small cake in order to return to the surface.
Artwork Details
Inscription
inscribed in black paint l.l.: Ernest Hillemacher. 1865.
Accession Number
p.303.6-1
Department
International Painting
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of Digitisation Champion Ms Carol Grigor through Metal Manufactures Limited
Subjects (general)
Human Figures Religion and Mythology
Subjects (specific)
boats men (male humans) Psyche (Greek legendary princess) rivers robes (main garments) suffering underworld (doctrinal concept) women (female humans)
Provenance
Exhibited Salon, Paris, 1865, no. 1047; collection of Gustave Curcier Esq. [1], of the wine importers Curcier & Adet, Melbourne, est. 1865, by 1872; by whom donated to the NGV, 1872[2].
[1] Curcier was born in France and emigrate to England in 1852.
[2] See ‘The new picture at the National Gallery’, in The Argus, Melbourne, Monday 29 January 1872, p. 6, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5859208.
Exhibited Salon, Paris, 1865, no. 1047