The Muse Terpsichore

Augustin Pajou

1768

chalk

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Romanticism 18th Century Allegory

About this work

This is a sketch of a woman holding a scroll and a trumpet. She’s standing on a small pedestal, wearing a draped robe that leaves one shoulder bare. Her hair is pulled up, and she looks calm but confident. The artist used red chalk on paper, which gives the drawing a soft, warm tone. The lines are loose but controlled, showing how the fabric folds and how her body moves. Next, look up Pajou, Augustin to see more of his work.