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A Muse (Calliope?)

Image credit: The National Gallery, London

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This imperious lady once looked down from the walls of the studiolo (study) at Belfiore, the hunting retreat belonging to the dukes of Ferrara, part of a decorative scheme showing the nine Muses. The theme was chosen by Leonello d’Este, Duke of Ferrara, and was begun by a painter called Angelo da Siena. After Leonello’s death in 1450 and Angelo’s in 1456, Leonello’s brother Borso hired Tura to produce the work. The Muses were mythological figures, the daughters of Jupiter and Mnemosyne (Memory). They embodied divine inspiration for the arts, each representing a specific art form. Our muse has been identified as Calliope, the muse of poetry. The branch of cherries may refer to justice, a principle with which Calliope was sometimes associated.

The National Gallery, London

London

Title

A Muse (Calliope?)

Date

probably 1455-60

Medium

Oil with egg on poplar

Measurements

H 116.2 x W 71.1 cm

Accession number

NG3070

Acquisition method

Layard Bequest, 1916

Work type

Painting

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Normally on display at

The National Gallery, London

Trafalgar Square, London, Greater London WC2N 5DN England

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