 
Melpomene is the Muse of Tragedy, sister of course to Thalia, Muse of Comedy (I like to think of those two as especially close); the Muses being the Goddesses of inspiration and the arts, especially song and poetry. They are the daughters of Mnemosyne or Memory, and were invoked to help poets and singers remember lines and lyrics in the age of oral tradition. Melpomene is usually depicted with the tragic mask; grape leaves are also associated with Her as a symbol of Her connection to Dionysos as God of the dramatic arts. I have put Her in sombre colors with dark cypresses behind. Made as one of a set of all nine Muses for a commission. This design is available on prints through ArtPal and greeting cards through Zazzle. |