DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.15100#0172
114
her right hand a plectrum, in her left a lyre which rests upon the
ground, and Melpomene the Muse of Tragedy, holding the club
and the tragic mask. In the centre arch stands alone Euterpe,
who presided over music, holding the double tibia. In the next
arch are Thalia the Muse of comedy, holding the pedum and the
comic mask; and Terpsichore who presided over dancing and is
tuning her lyre. In the last arch are Urania the Muse of as-
tronomy, pointing with a radius to a globe held in her left hand,
and Polyhymnia who presided over mythology, leaning over a
column, and completely enveloped with drapery with the exception
of the head alone. The Muses are perhaps thus arranged here
for the sake of the composition. The central figure with the
double tibia slanted, and flanked by columns on which masks oc-
cupy the place of the capitals, gives a certain symmetrical balance
to the whole group.2
This piece of sculpture is in good preservation, but is the pro-
duction of a period when art was rapidly declining, probably
towards the latter end of the third century. It was purchased
from the Villa Montalto at Rome.
Length 7 ft. 6 in. Height 2 ft. 6 in.
2 In the article cited, note 1, twenty-three other monuments similar in subject are
enumerated by M. Gerhard, who considers that the Muses are arranged in this bas
relief so as to contrast their several natures and functions, each pair being opposed
to the corresponding pair on the other side. M. Gerhard further thinks that the
motive of the whole composition on this and other sarcophagi was sepulchral, and in-
tended to allude to the life and character of the deceased person.
her right hand a plectrum, in her left a lyre which rests upon the
ground, and Melpomene the Muse of Tragedy, holding the club
and the tragic mask. In the centre arch stands alone Euterpe,
who presided over music, holding the double tibia. In the next
arch are Thalia the Muse of comedy, holding the pedum and the
comic mask; and Terpsichore who presided over dancing and is
tuning her lyre. In the last arch are Urania the Muse of as-
tronomy, pointing with a radius to a globe held in her left hand,
and Polyhymnia who presided over mythology, leaning over a
column, and completely enveloped with drapery with the exception
of the head alone. The Muses are perhaps thus arranged here
for the sake of the composition. The central figure with the
double tibia slanted, and flanked by columns on which masks oc-
cupy the place of the capitals, gives a certain symmetrical balance
to the whole group.2
This piece of sculpture is in good preservation, but is the pro-
duction of a period when art was rapidly declining, probably
towards the latter end of the third century. It was purchased
from the Villa Montalto at Rome.
Length 7 ft. 6 in. Height 2 ft. 6 in.
2 In the article cited, note 1, twenty-three other monuments similar in subject are
enumerated by M. Gerhard, who considers that the Muses are arranged in this bas
relief so as to contrast their several natures and functions, each pair being opposed
to the corresponding pair on the other side. M. Gerhard further thinks that the
motive of the whole composition on this and other sarcophagi was sepulchral, and in-
tended to allude to the life and character of the deceased person.