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Muses - Calliope

Erection date: 1933

The NG leaflet, referring to Calliope, the muse of epic poetry, has "Unknown sitter" and this is supported by a caption on a photo of the Muses at Imago: "... the design consists of eleven figures - ten of them representing well known people in society and on the stage - the eleventh is a mystery figure - the persons whose features are being immortalised in stone are all personal friends of Mr Anrep ... ".

However the web seems convinced that Calliope is here represented by Anna Akhmatova, with whom Anrep had a mutual muse-type relationship. He used her image repeatedly in his mosaics and she (re)appears at the NG in the 1953 Compassion. It is slightly troubling that this Calliope is shown as blond(ish) while Akhmatova was always (in our Googling experience) dark-haired (until grey).

Site: National Gallery - Anrep mosaics - Muses (11 memorials)

WC2, Trafalgar Square, National Gallery - Staircase Hall - Half-way Landing

Introduction to the Anrep Mosaics
Four floors in the Staircase Hall (1887) of the original National Gallery building are inlaid with delightful and puzzling mosaics by Boris Anrep. Laid in 1928-33 and 1954, these mosaics show gods and muses, and various human activities, many in the guise of real people of the day: contemporaries of Anrep, involved in public, intellectual and cultural life, all known to Anrep personally, such as those also associated with the Bloomsbury Group.

Entering via the original building’s portico entrance you first come across the ‘Awakening of the Muses’ on the halfway landing. From there you can take flights of stairs to either: the west vestibule and see the ‘Labours of Life’; the east vestibule and see the ‘Pleasures of Life’; the north vestibule and see the ‘Modern Virtues’. Richard Evans has a photo showing this original layout of the space.

The west and east vestibule floors were opened on 31 May 1928 and 13 November 1929 respectively and both were the gift of Samuel Courtauld and other benefactors.

When we visited (April 2024) the only access to the east and west vestibules was via the north vestibule and even then part of the floors were obscured with screens. The mosaics in the east and west vestibules are no less interesting than the others but fortunately for us, do not, as far as we know, contain any portraits, so our research and photos are confined to the 'Muses' on the halfway landing (this photo) and the 'Modern Virtues' in the north vestibule, on another page

We must apologise for the quality of our images. The spaces are lit from above, making it difficult to keep glare and shadows out of photos.

When you visit ask at the entrance desk and they may have in stock their leaflet: "An Introduction to Boris Anrep's Mosaics at the National Gallery". This provides a key to all 4 mosaic floors and is similar to these web pages.

Awakening of the Muses
This 'Awakening of the Muses' floor was  gifted (which we take to mean funded) by Samuel Courtauld and other benefactors, and opened in 1933. 

It depicts two male gods: Apollo, playing a pipe, and Bacchus, surrounded by the 9 muses being awakened. Plants and many creatures are depicted; we spotted: a rabbit, a squirrel, a snail, a spider in its web, frogs, birds of various sorts, butterflies, etc. 

To avoid database clutter we have put the Creator links on just one page - Apollo.

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This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Muses - Calliope

Subjects commemorated i

Anna Akhmatova

Russian poet. Living at a time of war, revolution and the Soviet regime, she ...

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This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
Muses - Calliope

Also at this site i

Muses - Apollo

Muses - Apollo

Osbert Sitwell as Apollo, god of music, dance and lots more, plays a pipe to ...

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Muses - Bacchus

Muses - Bacchus

Clive Bell as Bacchus, god of wine, parties, the theatre and general fun/mayh...

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Muses - Clio

Muses - Clio

Virginia Woolf as Clio the muse of history, holding a quill pen.

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Muses - Erato

Muses - Erato

Mary Hutchinson as Erato the muse of lyric poetry. Note the owl behind her.

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Muses - Euterpe

Muses - Euterpe

Christabel, Lady Aberconway as Euterpe the muse of music.

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Nearby Memorials

Muses - Melpomene

Muses - Melpomene

WC2, Trafalgar Square, National Gallery - Staircase Hall - Half-way Landing

Greta Garbo, as Melpomene the muse of tragedy, raises a wreath in her left hand, and has a tragic mask near her right hand.

1 subject commemorated
Brick of cuneiform writing

Brick of cuneiform writing

EC2, Foster Lane, church courtyard

From Exploring London: "... a stone (actually baked brick) upon which is inscribed cuneiform writing. ... which comes from a Zigurrat in ...

1 creator
George & Debbie Bunting

George & Debbie Bunting

N1, New River Walk

In memory of George & Debbie Bunting, Islington Art Circle 1946 - 2000.

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Salisbury Snooker Club

Salisbury Snooker Club

E11, Aylmer Road

This unusual and rather pleasing sign must surely be a recent creation.  We think the panels around the edge may be rescued from a vintag...

1 subject commemorated
Quirinale Restaurant / Hotel

Quirinale Restaurant / Hotel

SW1, Great Peter Street, North Court, 1

There are 4 friezes of designs impressed into lead. The two on the left are identical to the two on the right. We've stitched the two u...

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Barber Beaumont

Barber Beaumont

Army officer, painter, philanthropist. Born John Thomas Barber and in 1812 for no known reason, he added the name of Beaumont. He specialised in historical and portrait miniatures, and displayed at...

Person, Armed Forces, Art, Commerce

3 memorials
Alfred Reynolds

Alfred Reynolds

Born as Reinhold Alfréd in Budapest. Writer on social and religious topics. Known in England for his leadership of a libertarian group, the Bridge Circle, post-1945. A long time ago at stormloader...

Person, Philosophy, Poetry, Hungary

1 memorial
G. M. Stoker, MRCS

G. M. Stoker, MRCS

Assistant Commissioner in the St John Ambulance Brigade, No. 1 (Prince of Wales's) District, 1928-1949. Serving Brother in the Order of St John.

Person, Emergency Services, Medicine, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Miss M. M. Masson

Miss M. M. Masson

Lady District Officer in the St John Ambulance Brigade, No. 1 District, 1914-1939. Serving Sister in the Order of St John.

Person, Emergency Services, Medicine, Politics & Administration

1 memorial