France, late 18th-early 19th century / 1800
Clio, Muse of History
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Clio, Muse of History as painting (France, late 18th-early 19th century · 1800).
Clio's name is derived from a Greek word meaning "to recount" or "to celebrate."
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this painting as oil on canvas and credits Charles Meynier (French, 1768–1832).
The museum's collection notes: Look closely at these two muses, Greek goddesses of the arts. Notice the blues and golds of their clothing and Clio’s luminous feathered wings. Although they now hang in a museum gallery, these large paintings once decorated a castle in Switzerland. Museums control temperature and humidity to protect art, but a castle’s environment is harder to manage. When the CMA purchased these paintings in 2003, they showed signs of neglect. Their surfaces were cracked. The varnish, or clear protective coating, had become dark and yellow with age. Painting conservators carefully removed the old varnish to reveal the original brilliant colors, and inpainte
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The Cleveland Museum of ArtClio, Muse of HistoryOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.