“story Of Psyche” Wallpaper After Dufour, Early 20th Century

-Strips of wallpaper pasted on wooden panels, on continuous paper made by the DESFOSSE & KARTH factory in Paris at the beginning of the 20th century. This is a reissue of the famous grisaille panoramic "The Story of Psyche" by Joseph DUFOUR produced on 26 lengths of paper in 1815 based on the cartoons of Blondel and Laffite. These strips were printed in grisaille using 1245 plates. -Each panel presented is made up of two strips.

-The first presents lessons 1 and 2: “the parents of Psyche consulting the oracle of Apollo”; Venerated but not loved, Psyche, despite her beauty, sees no party presenting herself to her. It is the will of Venus that makes her jealous. Psyche's father, who is a king, is worried about this misfortune which only strikes the most beautiful of his daughters. He suspects that this is an effect of the anger of the gods. He therefore goes to consult the oracle of Apollo in Miletus and receives a harmful response. We see him here, accompanied by his daughter and his wife in front of a temple which houses the statue of the god Apollo recognizable by his characteristic knotted hairstyle and his lyre. Love discreetly watches the scene behind the wall on the right. The scene takes place in an antique setting (pedimented temple, cornice with the statue of the archer god, ornaments with putti and mascarons motifs, marble).

-The second presents Lessons 3 and 4: “Psyche kidnapped by the Zephyrs”. Psyche is presented in a languid pause carried away in a cloud by cherubs. This pause is reminiscent of that of Prud'hon's painting "The Abduction of Psyche" presented at the salon of 1808-1814 and kept at the Louvre Museum which most certainly served as inspiration for the authors. The latter decorated the scene with two doves circling around the psyche while further down Love sails on agitated waves. In the background, we see ancient architecture.

-https://collections.louvre.fr/ark:/53355/cl010060092

-Good state of conservation, covered and glued to plywood panels, small tears and pitting should be noted on the first panel (see Photos)

- Dimensions: Height: 186 cm Width 110.5 cm and Height: 183 cm Width: 109.5 cm

- Panel dimensions: Height: 190 cm Width: 117 cm thickness: 1.5 cm

- Bibliography: “Panoramic wallpapers” catalog dedicated in 1991 by the Museum of Decorative Arts of Paris page 262