Benjamin West was the first artist born in the colonies to achieve international fame. Here, he depicts the love affair between Cupid, a god, and Psyche, a mortal. Details—including a silver urn at Psyche’s feet, birds engaged in airborne struggle, and a menacing sea serpent—allude to the difficult tasks Venus, Cupid’s mother, assigned Psyche as prerequisites for uniting the two lovers. This allegory of youthful awakening and triumph over adversity can be seen to express West’s sense of pride in the coming of age of the American nation.

Without Benjamin West, the achievements of most major American artists of the time would not have been possible. West was the first artist born in the colonies to achieve international fame for his historical and mythological subjects. He was King George III’s favorite painter and the president of the Royal Academy of Arts in London. Although he lived in London, West’s studio was a revolving door of American artists seeking a place to stay, artistic instruction, and access to galleries and collections.