Olga Makho
The State Hermitage Museum; Saint Petersburg University of Film and Television, Russia
Muses appear to be pictured in art of the Renaissance from the mid-15th century, possibly as the evidence which proves the link between the Renaissance culture and culture of Classical Antiquity. Their images are to be found in significant ensembles like paintings from Lionello d’Este’s studiolo at Belfiore palace, or a small Muse sanctuary close to Federico da Montefeltro’s studiolo at Palazzo Ducale di Urbino. In the works created by the artists of Quattrocento the images are filled with versatile allegoric sense that composes Classical and Medieval components bringing the result to a new quality.
In the very end of the 15th century series of separate images start to change into multi-figured compositions with a diversified programme like in “Parnassus” by Andrea Mantegna painted for Isabella d’Este’s studiolo at Mantua. It seems true that the apogee of the theme was reached in Raphael’s “Parnassus”, fresco painted by him for stanza della Segnatura at the Vatican palace, where the paradigm of the absolute harmony is born.
With the evident influence of the Renaissance, Muse images developed in the classicist painting of the 17th century — in the works by Nicolas Poussin, and the neo-classicist art of the 18th century — in those by Anton Raphael Mengs. It is notable though that in comparison with the programmatic riches characteristic of the Renaissance, they gradually lose their individuality and polysemantic meaning to become plain in their sense.