Polyhymnia, Muse of Eloquence
There’s much that could be said about this painting, its creator, its provenance and its fantastic restoration by Dean Yoder of the Museum of Cleveland.
However.
I would much rather ask the question springing to the lips of every layperson who has ever stopped and examined this masterpiece: “What the hell is the woman doing?”
Polyhymnia (translated roughly, “Much Praise”) is one of the nine muses of Apollo. Her exact role of inspiration seems to lack specificity. Depending on who you ask, she is the muse of eloquence, religious music, religious poetry, religious dance, harmony, geometry, agriculture, the lyre, meditation and pantomime*.
As a consequence of her diverse associations, Polyhymnia has been portrayed in a few different ways over the years, but there is generally a common theme and that, intriguingly enough, is one of thoughtfulness. Though the muse of eloquence, this young goddess is almost always portrayed in a posture of deep thought like a young, beautiful, fully-clothed** version of Rodin’s Le Penseur.
So again: “What is this woman doing?” Charles Meynier, finishing this larger-than-life canvas*** in 1800, must have had something in mind when he decided that this is how Polyhymnia would be best presented. Perhaps (and this is a mere shot in the dark) post-revolutionary France had added some fun new attributes to Polyhymnia’s already cumbersome list. Like zombieism. Or dabbing.
But that’s clearly not true. The painting is called “Muse of Eloquence” for a reason and in case that particular role of the goddess needed reinforcing, Meynier has positioned a rather disgruntled head of the famously eloquent Greek orator, Demosthenes, behind Polyhymnia.
In conclusion, I am left to assume that Meynier viewed Polyhymnia as being one of those people who, when speaking to a crowd, didn’t know what to do with her hands. That’s my final word****.
*This kind of diversity of association is more common in mythology than you might think.
**One of the few characters of mythology who artists consistently feel obliged to dress.
***Nine feet tall. You don’t even have a wall big enough for this thing to not look ridiculous.
****At least it was until I discovered that this is not the only painting that Meynier did of Polyhymnia … rats!