Clio
1869
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
43 1/2 x 33 1/2 in. (110.5 x 83.8 cm)
Classification
Painting
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of an Association of Ladies and Gentlemen, 1874
Accession Number
74.42
Tags
Art Historical Context
"Clio," painted by American artist Joseph Fagnani in 1869, is a striking oil-on-canvas portrait measuring 43½ x 33½ inches. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing, this work captures the essence of Clio, the ancient Greek Muse of history, through the lens of 19th-century portraiture. The medium of oil on canvas, a staple of the era, allowed Fagnani to achieve luminous skin tones, rich fabrics, and intricate details that bring classical mythology to life in an American context. Created just after the Civil War, the painting reflects the period's fascination with allegorical f...