Psyche Abandoned at The Louvre, Paris

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The Forgotten Psyche is a marble sculpture created by Augustin Pajou in 1790. Commissioned for the Royal Buildings in 1783, it was intended to complement Edmé Bouchardon's 'Amour se taillant un arc' (Cupid Cutting His Bow from Hercule's Club), also featured on the Scan The World archive. Exposed at the Salon in 1785, the plaster model of the sculpture sparked a scandal due to its integral nudity and realistic depiction of Psyche's grief-stricken face. As a result, the artwork was removed from public display and left forgotten in a sculptor's workshop. The piece tells the story of Psyche and Cupid from Lucius Apuleius' Metamorphoses book, where Psyche, a beautiful princess, must navigate a series of cruel tasks set by Venus to win back her lost love. With the help of the gods, Cupid and Psyche are eventually reunited in heaven, and she becomes an immortal. This sculpture is part of the Scan The World initiative, a community-driven project led by MyMiniFactory, aiming to create a digital archive of 3D printable artworks from around the globe for public access. If you have a unique item you'd like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to learn how you can participate in this open-source effort.