Polyhymnia, Muse of Eloquence
1800
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1800
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
A woman in a flowing white robe stands beside a stone bust. She holds a scroll and points to the carved face with her other hand. The background is dark, making her glow. This is Polyhymnia, one of the nine Greek muses. She’s the patron of eloquence—persuasive speech. The bust is Demosthenes, a famous orator from ancient Athens. The painting was part of a set made for a wealthy businessman’s home in France. To see more art like this, look up *The Cleveland Museum of Art*.
