This painting, produced in the workshop of the French painter Simon Vouet (1590 – 1649), presents a depiction of two Muses from Greek Mythology. Muses were the patron goddesses of arts, sciences and creativity in the ancient Greco-Roman world, and their names are believed to have first been written down by the poet, Hesiod (c. 8th century BCE). He stated, “the Muses sang, who dwell in Olympus, the nine daughters born of great Zeus, Clio and Euterpe and Thaleia and Melpomene, Terpsichore and Erato and Polyhymnia and Urania, and Calliope, who is chief among them all” (Hesiod, Theogony, approximately lines 76-79). As the title of the painting gives away, Simon Vouet’s artwork showcases the two particular goddesses from the group, Urania and Calliope. Urania is almost certainly the Muse dressed in blue and white, while the figure in red and yellow is likely Calliope.
Although the names of the Muses had been coined by the time of Hesiod in the 8th century BCE, it took longer for each Muse to gain a specific area of expertise. This evolution was described by the scholar, Diodorus Siculus (c. 1st century BCE), who wrote, “To each of the Muses men assign her special aptitude for one of the branches of the liberal arts, such as poetry, song, pantomimic dancing, the round dance with music, the study of the stars, and the other liberal arts” (Library of History, 4.7). Most of the Muses became linked to literary composition—these included Calliope (Muse of epic poetry), Erato (of lyric poetry), Terpsichore (of lyric poetry and dance), Melpomene (tragedy), Thalia (comedy), Polyhymnia (hymns and works of praise), and Clio (history). The last remaining two, Urania and Euterpe, were not generally associated with literature. Urania came to be the patron of astronomy, while Euterpe became linked to flute-playing.
Theories differ on how each Muse gained her specific sphere of influence, but it was popular for ancient scholars to point to possible hints in the names of Muses. Diodorus Siculus, the aforementioned scholar, insisted that the name, Urania, evoked the idea of heaven, and that Calliope’s name emphasized her beautiful voice and speech. He stated, “Urania, because men who have been instructed of her she raises aloft to heaven (ouranos), for it is a fact that imagination and the power of thought lift men’s souls to heavenly heights; Calliope, because of her beautiful (kale) voice (ops) that is, by reason of the exceeding beauty of her language she wins the approbation of her auditors” (Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, 4.7). Simon Vouet followed the general artistic and scientific associations of the Muses in his painting. Urania can be seen resting on a globe and wearing a tiara of stars, referencing her heavenly and astronomical influence. Calliope, on the other hand, is represented with a book in her lap, alluding to her more literary patronage.
Written by C. Keith Hansley
Sources:
- Theogony and Works and Days by Hesiod, translated by M. L. West. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988, 1999, 2008.
- The Library of History, by Diodorus Siculus, edited by Giles Laurén (Sophron Editor, 2014).
- Metamorphoses by Ovid. Translated by David Raeburn. Penguin Classics; Revised Edition, 2004.
- The Oxford Dictionary of Classical Myth and Religion, edited by Simon Price and Emily Kearns. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003.
- https://www.nga.gov/artworks/46160-muses-urania-and-calliope
