Psyche and the Zephyrs

myminifactory

A reproduction of a work by John Gibson executed by his student and youngest brother Benjamin. John Gibson created his group in 1822 for the connoisseur Sir George Beaumont, with a replica made for Prince Torlonia in 1839 at Palazzo Corsini in Rome. Benjamin Gibson produced two copies of the work shortly after arriving in Rome in 1837. The present one was created for Richard Yates of Liverpool and likely displayed at the Liverpool Academy in 1840. It depicts a scene from Apuleius' narrative of 'Cupid and Psyche', where Psyche's beauty provokes the envy of the goddess Venus, who orders her sacrificed to a monster: 'Thus poor Psyche remained alone, weeping and trembling on the highest peak of the rock... but then a gentle breeze blew softly from Zephyrs, carrying her from the hill with a calm wind, gradually bringing her down into a deep valley where she was placed in a soft grassy bed amidst sweet-smelling flowers.' This object is part of "Scan The World", a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory. Through this effort, we are creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from around the globe for public access free of charge. "Scan The World" is an open-source community project; if you have interesting items nearby that you'd like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to learn how you can participate.