Elizabeth Siddal, Dora Maar, Yoko Ono, Grace Jones, Marilyn Monroe, Kate Moss, Tilda Swinton… These are just some of the famous muses who have inspired great art, music and writing. A muse inspires and drives creative vision to achieve greatness. Most often they are respected artists, musicians and writers themselves, the creative process has been fuelled not just by how they look but who they are.
Yet they have often been overlooked.
But in a new documentary for BBC Radio 4, Author, I explore the real role of the muse, drawing on research from my book MUSE as well as brand new interviews.
A muse myself, I am determined to reset the reputation of these men and women who influence and enable the works of art we love most.
In Life of a Muse, I meet the real life muses of the late David Hockney and Pablo Picasso. Celia Birtwell is the figure in many of Hockney’s greatest works, such as Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy. Her textile designs defined the 60s and 70s and her style influenced Hockney’s work, but it was their friendship which she feels was most important to their creative relationship.
Lydia Corbett, or Sylvette as she was known, was the inspiration for Picasso’s Ponytail Period. He depicted her high ponytail and natural style in over 60 images and sculptures. Lydia is now 90 and, despite Picasso’s problematic treatment of some of the other muses in his life, she has continued to draw from their artistic relationship. In fact, she is about to exhibit at her first solo London show.
Other living muses include Souleo, a male muse and curator, who posed for Kehinde Wiley, as well as Sue Tilley, Lucian Freud’s muse and the subject of Benefit Supervisor Sleeping who sparked a newfound appreciation for the fuller figure.
Please join me on my quest to reclaim, restore and reevaluate the vital role of the muse in art history by listening to BBC Radio 4 on 15 September at 4pm or finding the programme on BBC Sounds.
