Other

Muses - Euterpe

Erection date: 1933

Christabel, Lady Aberconway as Euterpe the muse of music.

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.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

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

Subjects commemorated i

Christabel, Lady Aberconway

Renowned beauty, cultural socialite and writer. Born as Christabel Mary Melv...

Read More

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

Also at this site i

Muses - Apollo

Muses - Apollo

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

Read More

Muses - Bacchus

Muses - Bacchus

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

Read More

Muses - Calliope

Muses - Calliope

The NG leaflet, referring to Calliope, the muse of epic poetry, has "Unknown ...

Read More

Muses - Clio

Muses - Clio

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

Read More

Muses - Erato

Muses - Erato

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

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Muses - Thalia

Muses - Thalia

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

Lady Lesley Jowitt as Thalia the muse of comedy and bucolic poetry.

1 subject commemorated
Verdun oak bench

Verdun oak bench

TW9, Kew Gardens, Temple of Arethusa

{On the side nearest the water, carved into the front of the seat:} This bench was made using timber from the Verdun oak (1919 - 2003). T...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Karl Marx grave

Karl Marx grave

N6, Swain's Lane, Highgate Cemetery - East

Bronze head on granite plinth with gold leaf inscriptions.

5 subjects commemorated, 2 creators
Rothschild Buildings arch

Rothschild Buildings arch

E1, Flower and Dean Walk

This arch originally formed an entrance to the tenement block of model dwellings, Rothschild Buildings.

2 subjects commemorated
Roman pavement - St Matthews

Roman pavement - St Matthews

EC2, Foster Lane, church courtyard

This church dates from the 12th century. From the church's website: "It has been altered, enlarged and restored many times and probably r...

2 subjects commemorated

Previously viewed

Unity Theatre inscription

Unity Theatre inscription

NW1, Charlton Street

This memorial is on the first floor facade of the building, to the left of the windows. The style, with the lettering carved into the bri...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
R. King

R. King

J. Lyons & Co. Ltd. staff member who died in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Ralph Vaughan Williams - NW1

Ralph Vaughan Williams - NW1

NW1, Hanover Terrace, 10

Ralph Vaughan Williams O.M. 1872 - 1958 composer, lived here from 1953 until his death. Greater London Council

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Frederic Edward Hilleary

Frederic Edward Hilleary

Frederic Edward Hilleary was born on 13 December 1841 in Stratford, Essex, the son of Gustavus Edward Hilleary (1806-1890) and Susan Hilleary née Mount (1820-1903). On 12 January 1842 he was baptis...

Person, Politics & Administration

2 memorials
Charles Thomas Page Metcalf

Charles Thomas Page Metcalf

Charles Thomas Page Metcalf was born on 4 June 1809 the eldest of the eight children of Joseph Metcalf (1785-1839) and Sarah Elizabeth Metcalf née Cubitt (1787-1855). He was baptised on 30 June 180...

Person, Benefactor

1 memorial