A BRONZE FIGURE OF THE MUSE CLIO

Clio - the muse of history - was one of the nine muses who were the daughters of Jupiter and the Titaness Mnemosyne. They were the companions of Apollo and the inspiration for poetry, music and the other arts.

Another example of the present figure was included in the exhibition of French bronzes held at Knoedler and Co., New York, in 1968 (New York, Knoedler and Co., The French Bronze 1500 to 1800, 1968, no. 88, described as 'Urania'). It was signed 'Thomire A Prs'. Pierre Philippe Thomire had his early training under Pajou and Houdon, but followed his father into the business of becoming a bronzier. He set up a workshop which specialised in producing decorative objects and mounts, and was noted for the high quality of both the design and execution of these pieces. He continued to run the business successfully both during the final years of the ancien régime and under the Napoleonic empire. Among his most important works was a candelabrum (1785) which was commissioned by the City of Paris to commemorate the declaration of American Independence.