Apollo, God of Light, Eloquence, Poetry, and the Fine Arts with Urania, Muse of Astronomy1798 · Study 2003.6.3

Context from the museum

A recipient of the Grand Prix de Rome in 1789, Charles Meynier became a member of the Académie des Beaux-Arts in 1815 and painted large ceiling decorations at the Louvre and numerous pictures glorifying the Napoleonic legend. Erato, Muse of Lyrical Poetry belongs to a cycle of five paintings executed to fulfill a commission from businessman François Boyer-Fonfréde. They were intended to decorate his home in his native Toulouse and constitute a rare instance of a complete cycle of major paintings that remain intact rather than being split up and separately dispersed.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

A detail to notice

Urania leans on a starry orb, indicating her role as the muse of astronomy.

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected overall measurement for Apollo, God of Light, Eloquence, Poetry, and the Fine Arts with Urania, Muse of Astronomy is 235 cm wide and 275 cm high, equivalent to approximately 92.5 × 108.3 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.85:1. The rectangular bounding area is 6.46 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 78.3% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 32.5 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With Apollo, God of Light, Eloquence, Poetry, and the Fine Arts with Urania, Muse of Astronomy in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, oil on canvas, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this vertical composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 235 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?