Cupid and Psyche is considered one of the best works by the talented exponent of the Roman school of sculpture, Antonio Canova, 15 of whose works are on display in the Hermitage. Following the fashion of the time and a revived interest in Antiquity, the sculptor depicts an episode from the legend of Cupid and Psyche, in which Cupid brings his dying love back to life with a kiss. The composition is based on smooth rhythmic lines, the harmony of figures and graceful gestures, and it creates an atmosphere of decorativeness. Acquired by Prince Yusupov in Rome in 1796, this sculpture is the second version of the group made by Canova, differing in certain respects from the first, now in the Louvre, Paris.