Commissioned by Sir Watkin Williams Wynn, 1826
Received on loan at Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Glasgow, 1906

Royal Academy, London, 1829

E. Eastlake, Life of John Gibson, R. A., Sculptor, (London, 1870) pp. 59-60, 251; T. Matthews, A Biography of John Gibson, R. A., Sculptor, Rome (London, 1911) pp. 66-7, 242; R. Gunnis, Dictionary of British Sculptors 1660-1851 (London, 1951) pp. 171-2; A. Graves, The Royal Academy of Arts. A Complete Dictionary of Contributors and their work from its foundation in 1769 to 1904 (London, 1906) vol. III, p. 230

As is evident from the catalogue photographs the marble has been subject to damage and has been sympathetically restored. The wings are detachable. The left wing has a repair along its top section and is lacking its tip. The right wing has three horizontal repaired breaks. New dowels have been set in to secure the wings. There are a few minor chips to the hair. The finish of the hair appears to show more wear than the other parts of the sculpture. There is a repaired break to Cupid's neck. There is a surface stain to the proper right shoulder. The right arm is missing above the elbow. The left arm has two repaired breaks one on the forearm and one at the wrist. The end of the thumb has been restored. Most of the bow is missing. There is a repaired break to the proper right thigh. There are repaired breaks just below the proper left knee, ankle and above the toes. There appear to have been some minor restorations to a few chips on the arrows' feathers. There are some minor chips to the base. The marble has some overall natural veining.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Born in Conway, North Wales, the son of a market gardener, John Gibson went on to become one of the foremost neo-classical sculptors of the 19^th century. His family moved to Liverpool in 1799 and the young Gibson was first apprenticed to a cabinet maker before joining the workshop of F A Legé. He first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1816 and moved to Rome the following year, where he received distinguished attention from both Antonio Canova and Bertel Thorvaldsen. From Rome he built up an international clientele for his marbles, and his studio became a place of interest for wealthy tourist passing through the Eternal City. The commission for the present marble came out of just such a visit, from fellow Welshman Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, described in Gibson's own words:

In the winter of the same year [1826], the late Sir Watkin Williams Wynn came to Rome. Having heard that I was a native of Conway he made up his mind that I should execute a work for him and that it should be the statue of an eagle in marble. I felt discouraged at the proposal of such a subject, and at this moment there stood before us my group of Psyche and Zephyrs. He expressed his admiration of it, but what could I think of his admiration when he said, "If you take away the Psyche and put in her place a time-piece, it will make a capital clock?"

When I saw Sir Watkin beginning to change my composition according to his own ideas I lost all hopes of him. He said, "Then you don't care about doing an eagle for me?" I said, "No, Sir Watkin, that is out of my way." I then directed his attention to a figure of Cupid I was modelling drawing an arrow with one hand, and holding his bow with the other. He immediately asked me "Would you like to do that for me in marble?" I then said that I should be delighted, and then he replied, "Well, well, then do it" - so my statue of Cupid was executed in marble for him.

The Cupid was exhibited in marble at the Royal Academy in 1829. In 1870 Eastlake recorded it as in St James's Square, London. According to Eastlake and Matthews the present marble is the only version of the model, with no replicas carved. The present Cupid relates to a later version of the subject entitled Love Tormenting the Soul - the winged youth strides similarly forward whilst drawing an arrow from the quiver leaning against a tree stump at his feet. The first version of Love Tormenting the Soul was carved in 1837 and several versions exist, including one in the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool.

During its history the present marble has been subject to damage and the loss of the greater part of the bow which Cupid would have held in his raised left hand as well as the lower part of his right arm, which would have reached for an arrow from the quiver at his feet. However the Cupid remains a unique and important marble in the oeuvre of this distinguished British sculptor.

RELATED LITERATURE
P. Curtis ed., Patronage and Practice: Sculpture on Merseyside, exh. cat.,  Tate Gallery (Liverpool) 1989, pp. 50-5