"Design in an oval. A travesty of the cameo known as the Marlborough Gem, now in the Museum of Fine Arts at Boston. The figures are light on a dark ground, as in the original. Miss Farren, tall, thin, with butterfly wings, her dress approximating to contemporary fashion, walks (left to right) on Lord Derby's left. He has the wings of Cupid, clipped, and is almost nude, with the fat limbs of a child together with a heavy paunch. He holds a dove, putting its beak to his lips. His scanty hair is in a small tail. Both are veiled. They are preceded by two winged boys, one with the torch of Hymen. A third follows, wearing a fool's cap simulating a cap of Liberty; he holds up an earl's coronet towards the bride, in place of the tray of fruit of the original."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Marriage of Cupid and Psyche
Description:
Title etched below image., A parody of Bartolozzi's engraving of the Marlborough Gem., Sheet trimmed to plate mark on right and left edges., Temporary local subject terms: Fool's cap as a bonnet rouge -- Cameos: Marlborough gem -- Crowns: earl's coronet -- Cherubs -- Torches: Hymen's smoking torch -- Marriages -- Birds: dove -- Wings -- Travesties., and Mounted to 32 x 48 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. May 3d, 1797, by H. Humphrey, 27 St. James's Street
Subject (Name):
Smith-Stanley, Edward, 1752-1834, Derby, Elizabeth Farren Stanley, Countess of, 1759 or 62-1829, Psyche (Greek deity), and Cupid (Roman deity)
