Painted in the Neoclassical style, this remarkable set of six oil on canvas paintings offers a captivating allegorical portrayal of the Muses from Greek mythology, each signed and dated “Simat 1830”.  Each painting measures 41 inches tall by 24 3/4 inches wide. The Muses were goddesses who were believed to inspire artistic creativity, ranging from poetry to dance (interestingly, numerous words in the English language pertaining to entertainment are derivatives of “Muse”, such as music, museum, and amuse.)

Each painting features a light blue background with the accompanying Muse, surrounding architecture, and background figures painted in cream, with meticulous accents to denote shadows and the gathering of fabric. The scenes are full of interesting details, portraying a muse as a sculptor, a painter, motifs of theater, architecture, and more. Based on visible hinge marks and the presence of theater masks set atop rectangular borders with segmented fan-like embellishments that have been painted on the verso side, it is apparent that at one point the paintings were made visible from both sides, in the center of a room. They could have been part of a screen or type of room divider. Today, this unusual set of 6 Neoclassical oil paintings would make a great addition to any room of the house, from a hallway to a staircase, or grand foyer and living room.

CONDITION: Good antique condition with minor rubs on each canvas and light loss of gilding to the frames. Most of the paintings are rigged for hanging. Visible hinge marks on the frames coupled with paint on the verso (back) side indicate that the paintings were at one point, seen from both sides.