Clio, Muse of History

The print file prints up to 7.1 x 11.3 in at 300 ppi — enough for a full 6 x 9 in front cover. Taller than a 6 x 9 cover: crop about 5% of the height.

Look closely at these two muses, Greek goddesses of the arts. Notice the blues and golds of their clothing and Clio’s luminous feathered wings. Although they now hang in a museum gallery, these large paintings once decorated a castle in Switzerland. Museums control temperature and humidity to protect art, but a castle’s environment is harder to manage. When the CMA purchased these paintings in 2003, they showed signs of neglect. Their surfaces were cracked. The varnish, or clear protective coating, had become dark and yellow with age.