Ophelia de Vere

  There’s a moment, somewhere between sleep and waking, when reality folds and something otherworldly slides in. Antonio Canova knew this moment intimately — and he carved it into cold stone. Let’s talk about Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss , arguably the sexiest sculpture to ever grace the Louvre. Or the Hermitage, depending on where you're standing. Either way, what Canova pulled off in the late 18th century isn’t just a masterclass in Neoclassical marblework — it’s a timeless ode to vulnerability, sensuality, and the soul-stirring power of love. Or maybe just the world’s most elegant make-out scene. The Original: Where Love Gets a Spine The version you know — the headliner, the Louvre’s crown jewel of tenderness — was finished around 1793. Cupid is there, wings like twin sails, eyes soft, torso carved like a Botticelli dream after leg day. Psyche reclines in that pre-Instagram influencer twist, limp yet blooming, arms raised like she’s meeting God halfway. And maybe she is. ...