Terpsichore 1869

Joseph Fagnani painted this work, Terpsichore, in oils on canvas sometime in the mid-19th century. It depicts the Greek muse of dance in a style that recalls both classical sculpture and Renaissance painting. Fagnani was part of a community of European artists who catered to the tastes of wealthy patrons interested in mythological subjects. In Britain and the United States, there was a burgeoning market for images that represented cultural refinement. This one evokes a world of ancient myth and aristocratic sensibility, in which the cultivation of beauty was considered a moral good. These kinds of paintings are less about the artist's individual vision, and more about shared cultural values. The historian’s task is to unpack those values through careful attention to details, cultural references and institutional settings. Museum archives, gallery records, and period publications can tell us more about the painting’s cultural significance.