Cupid and Psyche

This is a piece by Francesco Bartolozzi's Cupid and Psyche. I really was drawn to it because if you look at it carefully its almost like a series of dots used to create the image. The technique is called stippling. I like the effect that stippling creates. Although there are dots everywhere, it still looks smooth, real. I decided to look up what the story was behind the painting an came across the love story of Cupid and Psyche. She was a mortal who was the most beautiful, even more beautiful than Venus, Cupid's mother. Venus, the goddess was jealous of Psyche so she sent Cupid to put a spell on the mortal but he fell in love with her and took her for himself. The only problem was that Psyche could never look at Cupid. But one day she did, and long story short, Cupid left her. Psyche couldn't stand to live without Cupid so he gave her a series of tasks to complete. The last one was harder than all the rest. She was to deliver a little box with beauty to the realm of the dead, but curiosity killed the cat....AGAIN! Psyche dies, Cupid brought her back to life (awwww) and they eventually had a daughter named Pleasure. You would think that for anyone, love would be the easiest for Cupid!