“O Muse, tell me the tale of the Ingenious One, the Hero of a Thousand Wiles”
Thus begins Homer’s *Odyssey*, recounting the story of Odysseus, who set out to wage war and then sailed the seas with his crew for twenty long years. Meanwhile, Penelope patiently awaited her hero’s return, weaving a tapestry by day that she would unravel by night so she wouldn’t have to marry another man. But you probably already know that from Christopher Nolan’s film of the same name, released this summer! Still, let’s take a look here for our loyal readers the article we dedicated to the epic tale of this fine crew, on the occasion of the release of our own Odyssey collection in 2022. Calling all fans—the latest gem available can be found below!
Necklace pendant Roman coin Diocletian
The only thing we took some liberties with was the selection of items that Odysseus might have picked up along the way—testaments to his love for Penelope and the starting point for our jewelry collection. As for the rest—Circe, the sirens, the lotus-eaters, Calypso…—it all comes from the poet’s imagination: it seems that calling upon the Muses really did the trick.
Did you know? Like Homer, ancient poets often began their stories by invoking the Muses. It was a way of recalling the extraordinary origin of their gift while also branding their work as a “Jury’s Favorite.”
Gustave Moreau, Apollo and the Nine Muses, 1856, Private collection.
Most legends have multiple versions, and the legend of the Muses is no exception; thus, there are variations regarding the origin or number of these deities. For example, they are sometimes considered the daughters of Gaia (Earth) and Ouranos (Sky), belonging to the first generation of gods (according to Hesiod’s Theogony , late 8th–early 7th centuries B.C.). This would make them the half-sisters of Aphrodite—or Venus, her Roman counterpart—since Uranus is also the father of the Goddess of Beauty. We tell her story in our article The Jewelry of Venus—you’ll see that her very birth is already quite the drama!
But the Classical period and the rest of Antiquity seem to agree more on the fact that the nine Muses were born from nine nights of love between Zeus, King of Olympus and #MeToo ambassador (in the worst sense of the term), and Mnemosyne, the Personification of Memory. The “girl group” is associated with Apollo “Musagetes,” the god of music. But above all, the goddesses are the guardian deities of artistic and intellectual inspiration. In other words, they are the primary “sources” of inspiration for poetry, music, dance, and—later on—the scholarly disciplines. So, as Beyoncé sings, “Who runs the world? ”
Each Muse has her own area of expertise, as well as a number of distinguishing features that make her recognizable (almost) at a glance. For our part, we’ve obviously chosen to adorn the Spice Girls of Olympus with our unique, precious, and ethically made jewelry.
Calliope, Urania, and Terpsichore
Pierre Mignard, Calliope, Urania, and Terpsichore, 17th century, Fontainebleau Castle.
Calliope, the First Lady
The Muse of epic poetry and eloquence, she is also one of Apollo’s wives, which grants her the rank of the foremost Muse among the others. Crowned in gold, her attributes are as follows: tablets (made of wax, for Gen Z), a stylus, and sometimes also a trumpet (of fame) and a metal punch. At her feet lie Homer’s *Iliad* and *Odyssey* as well as Virgil’s *Aeneid* —the winning trio of mythological adventures.
We’re presenting her with our crown ring in recognition of her status as queen of the Muses, as well as an incredible Swiss Army knife—fit for a modern-day hero or heroine. Finally, there’s the signet ring that echoes epic tales. We won’t go over the details of this one again—feel free to check out the post of the same name and Jewelry and Sports – 2 (part of which is dedicated to NBA signet rings—we’ve included a brief history of the piece there) from our magazine.
Uranie, Thomas Pesquet had better watch out
Wearing a azure azure dress and a crown of stars, Urania is the Muse of Astronomy. In her left hand she holds a celestial sphere, on which the goddess uses a compass to mark the positions of the stars. She is also surrounded by mathematical instruments.
As for us, we attribute the sapphire, whose blue is reminiscent of the sky. We’ve selected two of our models adorned with unheated Ceylon (Sri Lanka) sapphires, but feel free to browse our collections to see more. We’ve added our headpiece adorned with turquoise and enamel, resembling a crown of stars.
Terpsichore, the Kamel Ouali of the Muses
As you may have guessed (or not), Terpsichore is the goddess of dance. Kamel Ouali is a French choreographer, dancer, and director known, among other things, for his work on the musicals *The Ten Commandments* (2000) and *The Sun King* ( 2005), as well as for having served as the dance instructor for contestants on *Star Academy* from 2001 to 2008. For those who, against all odds, might have missed it, another clue is hidden in the Muse’s name: the “chore” in “Terpsichore” comes from the Greek “ khoreia,” meaning “group dance,” which is also found in “choreographer” and “choreography”… The Dream Team of Olympus certainly knew how to put on a show! At Galerie Pénélope, we bring pop culture and mythology together. And when it comes to jewelry, we’re lending the Muse our vintage whirlwind ring, which symbolizes movement, as well as a pair of fish-shaped earrings adorned with pansies in lieu of the wreath of flowers with which she is usually crowned.
Melpomene, Erato, and Polymnia
Eustache Le Sueur, Melpomene, Erato, and Polymnia, 1652–1655, Paris, Louvre Museum.
Melpomene, the Drama Queen
Melpomene, the goddess of tragedy, is depicted with a serious expression. Her head is crowned with a vine wreath—that is, a vine stem bearing its leaves, tendrils, and often bunches of grapes. She wears cothurni on her feet, a type of ancient boot. In her right hand, she holds a tragic mask or a dagger, and in her left, the scepers and crowns she will bestow upon the victors. Since the painter Le Sueur apparently did not receive the memo about the tragic actress, we attribute to Melpomene our antique sword made of enamel and fine pearls by the jeweler Victor Dudiez, a ring adorned with a carnelian intaglio inscribed with the words “Nothing without effort,” as well as a sentimental World War I pendant holding a firearm projectile.
Erato, Love is NOT blind
Literature, film, music, reality TV: love is everywhere! Suffice it to say that the Muse of love poetry, lyric poetry, and erotic poetry has had her work cut out for her in fueling the imagination since ancient times. Erato is sometimes depicted alongside a winged Cupid armed with his bow and quiver. Since the God of Love has the power to make anyone fall in love by shooting an arrow at them, it’s easy to see why she chose him as her apprentice.
Antique Brooch: Love Riding a Dragon, Gold and Diamond
How do you recognize the Muse? Holding a lyre and a plectrum—a small stick used to pluck the strings—Erato’s head is crowned with a wreath of myrtle and roses. In the language of flowers, the rose symbolizes absolute and passionate love when it is red.
Jewelry and gemstones also have their own language—remember: the 19th century marked the heyday of sentimental jewelry, as exemplified by the heart Napoleon III gave to Eugénie. Adorned with rubies and containing a lock of her hair, the medallion symbolizes the emperor’s love for the woman who would become his wife. The ruby also carries symbolism associated with passionate love. So, what could be better for the goddess than our marquise ring set with a Burmese ruby? We’ve also paired it with a bracelet set with heart-shaped diamonds —a symbol of love that is just as timeless.
Polymnie, Communications Manager
Polymnia is the Muse of sacred songs and rhetoric. Rhetoric is the art of eloquence—of “speaking well”—for the purpose of persuasion. Polymnia is also sometimes associated with the art of pantomime, which consists of expressing oneself solely through gestures and facial expressions. But how can one recognize the Muse with certainty? Clad in white, she is often depicted standing with her elbows resting on her knees in a pensive pose. Her head is crowned with a wreath of pearls.
And since pearls—you can never have enough of them—we’ve chosen our delicate trilogy ring for her, along with an Art Decobracelet, both made of fine pearls and diamonds. And to top it off, we’ve added a brooch featuring a feather, circa 1950.
Clio, Euterpe, and Thalia
Eustache Le Sueur, Clio, Euterpe, and Thalia, 1652–1655, Paris, Louvre Museum.
Clio, a historical figure since ancient times
Did you know? “Clio” comes from a word meaning “to celebrate, to honor, and to sing of the glory of warriors and the renown of a people.” To this end, the Muse of History proclaims these heroic deeds to the sound of a trumpet and a zither, which accompanies the song of the heroes’ exploits. Clio is depicted sometimes seated, sometimes standing, leaning over a stack of books or reading a scroll, and is sometimes accompanied by a clepsydra, a water clock used to measure the passage of time. Her head is crowned with a wreath of laurels; we have added our 18th-century gold and enamel ring, featuring a micro-mosaic depicting an ancient temple, as well as a moving gold and enamel “Recuerdo” medallion that opens, meaning “Souvenir.”
Euterpe, the Spotify subscription for the gods
The Muses as a whole are associated with Apollo, the god of music, for whom they serve as a chorus. And the leader of this group of singing and dancing goddesses is none other than Euterpe, the muse of Music. Crowned with flowers and surrounded by instruments such as the flute and the oboe, she holds the sheet music and sometimes performs solo to delight her all-female band. We’ve added our harp pendant and our ring featuring two snakes coiling under the Muse’s spell!
Thalie, If Molière Had Worn Birkenstocks
Crowned with ivy and wearing ankle boots—another precursor to the boot—Thalie holds a comic mask in her hand. It’s as if our 18th-century theater-themed ring were made just for her! We’ve also paired her with our Arnoult Art Nouveau bracelet for its bohemian flair—an artistic movement that explores nature in all its forms. Once again, feel free to (re)read The History of Jewelry—The 20th Century (Part 1), the Opal, Topaz, or even Insects in the History of Jewelry, the latest addition to our magazine to learn more! And since Thalia is the Muse of Comedy, what gemstone could we associate with her? The citrine , of course! A shade of sunshine, of energy, yellow is also the color of joy.
Did you know? At Galerie Pénélope, the Muse is Penelope. Not Odysseus’s Penelope—she’s too busy with her weaving—even though we love her romantic nature and her cunning side.
Rather, Penelope, the grandmother of Camille, our founder. She was the one who, through her elegance, her dreaminess, and her style, passed on to her granddaughter a love of stories, precious objects, treasure hunts… and vintage jewelry , of course!
As for you… What kind of Muse are you?
Take the quiz to discover your Art—and your jewelry selection!