The sculpture Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss shows the moment at which the lifeless body of Psyche is just brought back to life by Cupid's kiss. The figures of Cupid and Psyche (except the wings) are positioned in a pyramid shape, which creates a stable form for the sculpture. Cupid is depicted as a winged young man with a quiver with arrows on his back. Psyche has a cloth wrapped around her lower body. Her long hair reaches to the ground. Behind them lays the flask with the ointment that Psyche had collected from the underworld. Directly to the right of the flask is Cupid's arrow, which he used to wake up Psyche. Having been awakened, Psyche reaches up toward Cupid, as he sits on one knee on top of a rock and gently holds her by supporting her head and breast. They are embraced, trapped in a moment full of tension before their lips meet in the kiss of a lover. While the figures are fully exposed, their bodies naked and their emotions pouring out of them, their faces are partially hidden away.
To best render the flexibility and grace of the lovers' bodies in the sculpture Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss, Antonio Canova uses various techniques on a block of marble. The marble grain is not the same from one place to another. There are a difference in texture between the folds of the fabric on the ground and the filmy muslin clinging to Psyche's thighs. For both bodies, Canova uses ever finer rasps, giving an impression of life and the softness of the flesh. Traces of rasps are still visible on the faces. The skin of Psyche and Cupid has a very smooth texture which was achieved by using a finer filling technique as can be seen from Cupid's face. Beautiful curls and lines define the hair. The wings of Cupid are worked meticulously, allowing the golden rays of the sun to be seen through the stone.
