The New Metamorphosis, Plate 6: The Story of Cupid and Psyche by William Hogarth is an accomplished print executed between 1723 and 1724. Classified as the second state of two, this work utilizes the complex techniques of etching and engraving to achieve its detailed linear quality. As Plate 6 of the satirical series The New Metamorphosis, the English artist employs classical mythology not for reverence, but often to skewer contemporary social pretensions or established artistic conventions. This particular plate adapts the famous tale of Cupid and Psyche, demonstrating Hogarth's early engagement with established narrative structures, even while simultaneously preparing to subvert them for satirical ends.
Hogarth’s interpretation of the myth concerning the god Cupid and the mortal maiden Psyche is characteristic of his early career, where he was heavily involved in producing commercial prints for the thriving London market. While the specific satirical target of this individual print may be subtle, the overall series often parodied the bombastic or overly romantic mythological interpretations common in early 18th-century art. The use of etching and engraving allowed Hogarth to widely disseminate his intellectual commentary, making the print format absolutely essential to his developing artistic voice and his eventual advocacy for copyright protection for engravers.
As one of the foundational prints leading up to Hogarth’s great moral series of the 1730s, The Story of Cupid and Psyche shows the artist refining his skills in allegorical storytelling through the graphic medium. This important early work by the master currently resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Because the work is now held in the public domain, high-resolution reproductions of these early, influential prints are widely accessible for study and appreciation, allowing the legacy of Hogarth's inventive engraving work to continue reaching new audiences centuries later.
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