France, late 18th-early 19th century / 1798
Calliope, Muse of Epic Poetry
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Calliope, Muse of Epic Poetry as painting (France, late 18th-early 19th century · 1798).
Through the assistance of his brother, a famous actor of the Comédie Française, Charles Meynier studied in the studio of François André Vincent, the principal rival of the master Jacques-Louis David
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this painting as oil on canvas and credits Charles Meynier (French, 1768–1832).
The museum's collection notes: The eldest of the nine Greek muses, Calliope was the goddess of music, song, and dance. She was also known as the goddess of epic poetry and conferred the gift of eloquence on kings and princes. She stands here before a bust of Homer, the ancient Greek poet who wrote the Odyssey and the Iliad . This painting belongs to a cycle of five works commissioned by businessman François Boyer-Fonfréde for his home in Toulouse.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtCalliope, Muse of Epic PoetryOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.