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November 23, 2003
the muse
Though there are nine of them in Greek mythology; Clio, Melpomene, Thalia, Calliope, Urania, Euterpe, Terpsichore, Polyhymnia and Erato [daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne for those who are interested in that sort of thing]; covering everything from flutes to epic poetry, there is no-one specifically for painting. Which is sad. But then painting didn’t feature in the arts of Ancient Greece.
A muse is important in that they can inspire the artist. It’s not just a matter of looks, however. It’s about giving freedom to the artist, allowing the artist to be creative, actually being part of the work. A muse has few preconceptions about a work, though may know what the artist is trying to achieve, and can therefore provide encouragement. A muse doesn’t have to feature in the work, though they often do.
Grand Order of Muses:
Mythical muse – an inspiring abstract concept.
Veritable muse – real person capable of inspiring an artist.
Heroic muse – real person, willing to sacrifice comfort for art.
Venerable muse – wholly inspirational person, often found actually living with an artist.
Legendary muse – great people of the past who have inspired creativity.
Posted by john at November 23, 2003 04:19 PM
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