Apollo and the Muses
1674
Think of this as Claude Lorrain's ultimate cheat sheet for a masterpiece! Created in 1674, this drawing is packed with handwritten notes in Italian where the artist reminds himself exactly what each Muse should be holding—from lyres and scrolls to theatrical masks. It’s a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at how a Baroque master planned his compositions, treating the page like a storyboard before committing to the final canvas. The energetic, scratchy lines show a mind rapidly working through the details of classical mythology.
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