Clio, Muse of History1800 · Study 2003.6.5

Context from the museum

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 inpainted areas of paint loss by filling them in with matching paint. Which muse would you want to talk to? What would you ask her?

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

A detail to notice

Clio's name is derived from a Greek word meaning "to recount" or "to celebrate."

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected unframed measurement for Clio, Muse of History is 176 cm wide and 273 cm high, equivalent to approximately 69.3 × 107.5 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.64:1. The rectangular bounding area is 4.80 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 58.7% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 62.0 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 Clio, Muse of History 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 176 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?