Marriage of Cupid and Psyche

Wedgwood, Wedgwood and Bentley

About 1780

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Two ash and burl ash armchairs, the cabriole front legs end in small scrolls, the arm supports curve inward and likewise end in small scrolls that function as handholds, the arms lathe-turned, terminating in a carved, stylized anthemion motifs where they meet the stile, the back square and each crest rail is set with three green jasper medallions with classical motifs: .1) "Germany and Turkey with amorini grieving for Elisabeth" (from the 1790 series designed for sale in Germany, most of which celebrate the accession and virtues of Leopold II of Austria, who succeeded his brother Joseph II in January 1790. Elisabeth was the favorite niece of Joseph II, who died in February 1790); (probably) "Cybele, goddess of nature and fertiliy"; sacrificial scene (unidentified); and .2) "Fame inscribing a vase to the memory of Elisabeth" (from the German series); "Hercules strangling the Nemean lion" (modeled by William Hackwood ca. 1773); "Germany and Turkey with armorini grieving for Elisabeth" (from the German series); the striped green silk upholstery new
Tall vase of lilac jasper dip with white jasper relief decoration, resting on small square plinth, the round foot with a band of overlapping leaves, the lower body with stiff leaf motifs and the main body with relief scenes of on one side a winged putti riding a lion, which together with a second panther pulls a small chariot containing a large urn and basket with snake, on the other side a winged putti stands on the back of a horse, which together with a second horse pulls a small chariot in which rides a second putti, the shoulder with a band of overlapping laurel leaves, with two scrolled handles that rest on the shoulder and extend up to the lip of the vase, each has a snake entwined around it, the neck with acanthus leaf and medallion motifs, with a band of beading at the lip.
Portrait bust in black basalt of the Greek poet Homer dressed in classical robes and cap on round socle.
Frieze tablet of solid light blue jasper with applied white jasper relief decoration featuring two oval paterae with sunflowers and beading supporting a floral festoon with two trailing ends containing roses and other flowers.