Psyche has braved a ban to see her husband, the young god Cupid.  But she wakens him by spilling a drop of oil from the lamp and he flees.  Overwhelmed, head down, she holds the fateful lamp.  The smooth body is idealised to give the story of Psyche an ancient and timeless character.  The sculptor does not dwell on the tragedy but focuses on the portrayal of materials and volumes: the heavy fabric, the wavy hair, the animal skin and the turned piece of furniture.