The novel Gradiva is about a young archaeologist, Norbert Hanold, who comes to realize his love for his childhood friend through a long and complex process, mainly by associating her with an idealized woman in the form of the Gradiva bas-relief.

Freud considered the novel as providing a prime example of “something which might be called ‘cure by seduction’ or ‘cure by love"', as well as evidence 'that the Oedipus complex is still active in normal adults, too.'