The Muse Erato at her Lyre

John William Godward completed this classical scene of Erato, the muse of lyric poetry, seated with her lyre against a sun-warmed Mediterranean backdrop. The figure wears diaphanous robes in the Greco-Roman style Godward favored throughout his career, her idealized features and relaxed pose embodying Victorian visions of ancient beauty. Marble textures and warm flesh tones demonstrate his considerable technical facility.

Godward was among the last practitioners of Victorian classicism, continuing the tradition of Lawrence Alma-Tadema and Frederic Leighton well into the 20th century. His paintings of beautiful women in ancient settings found steady collectors even as modernism transformed the art world around him. Erato, whose name means "lovely," presided over love poetry and was traditionally depicted with a lyre. This painting remains in a private collection.