Melpomene, Erato and Polyhymnia 1655

This painting, “Melpomene, Erato and Polyhymnia”, painted by Eustache Le Sueur in 1655, portrays three muses of Greek mythology, personifying the arts of tragedy, lyric poetry and sacred poetry, respectively. The painting is housed in the Louvre Museum in Paris, France and depicts the three muses in a sylvan setting, with a lush landscape in the background. The muses are depicted in a realistic manner, with each figure playing a role in a harmonious whole. Melpomene, the muse of tragedy, is seated in the center, holding a book of poetry, with the other two muses surrounding her.