Here, in this intimate preparatory oil on panel, Lefebvre captures Psyche at the threshold: perched on stone at the luminous lagoon’s edge, cave shadow behind. She appears as a graceful, idealized nude in profile, her long auburn hair cascading down her back, feet tangled in billowing violet fabric. Her hands rest gently upon a golden box—the myth’s fateful vessel of curiosity—while a supernatural star glows above her crown, casting a soft halo that illuminates her serene face.
This rare study reveals Lefebvre’s creative process. Early sketches imagined Psyche with wings; he replaced them with the star, grounding the figure in naturalism and youthful innocence. Though some critics worried it might evoke Pandora (a subject he had painted before), the choice succeeded beautifully, infusing the myth with profound human vulnerability.
The elements harmonize in quiet stillness: luminous skin glowing against the dark backdrop, loosened drapery as a farewell to protective illusions, the small golden box holding portable temptation, the star whispering the soul’s near presence—Psyche means “soul.” Together, they evoke the sacred pause before transformation: the ego meeting the unconscious depths.
Archefact 