Urania and Erato 

Sebastiano Conca painted this oil on canvas of Urania and Erato sometime in the 18th century. The painting depicts two of the nine muses from Greek mythology, who were often invoked by artists and scholars as sources of inspiration and knowledge. Here, Urania, muse of astronomy, is shown with a globe and a pair of dividers, while Erato, muse of lyric poetry, holds a lyre. The painting reveals the values of the Roman art world and its institutions, particularly the Academy of Arcadia where Conca was director. The Academy encouraged the revival of classical styles and subjects in painting, sculpture, and literature. This classicizing trend was a reaction against the excesses of the Baroque, and it aligned with the cultural agendas of popes and other elite patrons. To understand this artwork, you could look into the records of the Academy of Arcadia and the art criticism of the period. The history of art is inseparable from the history of institutions and the politics of taste.