Jean François de Troy

Jean François de Troy
1679 – 1752, attributed
Two Muses
France
18th century
Oil on canvas
74.5 x 104.5 cm, with frame 93.5 x 122.5 cm
Label on the back

Jean François de Troy is considered one of the most versatile and significant French painters of the early 18th century. As the son of the renowned portraitist François de Troy, he received his initial training in his father’s studio before a prolonged stay in Italy (1699 – 1706) had a decisive influence on him. In 1708, he was admitted to the Académie royale, and in 1738 he was appointed director of the Académie de France in Rome, where he worked until his death. De Troy was highly regarded both as a portraitist and as a creator of historical paintings, mythological and religious scenes, and elegant genre depictions. His painting combines the decorative richness and colorfulness of a Paolo Veronese with the dynamic sensuality of a Peter Paul Rubens. Contemporaries regarded him as one of France’s leading painters, whose work contributed significantly to the development of French painting in the 18th century.
The theme of the Muses originates in ancient mythology: as daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, they embody the arts and sciences. In European art of the 17th and 18th centuries, they frequently appear in allegorical depictions that combine both decorative and intellectual aspirations. While the muse of love poetry—Erato—and the muse of choral poetry and dance—Terpsichore—as well as the muse of song—Polyhymnia—are often depicted with musical instruments, the muse of historiography—Clio—and the muse of epic poetry – Kalliope – are frequently accompanied by attributes of intellectual creation, such as a stylus and a scroll. Such combinations point to the harmonious interplay of music and poetry, two closely related arts.
This painting depicts two female figures facing each other and apparently communicating against a dynamic, cloudy sky. In the right half of the painting appears the muse of music, likely Euterpe, half – naked, covered only by a white robe draped lightly over her shoulders. Flowers are woven into her artfully braided hair, including a delicate pink rose. In her right hand she holds a rolled – up sheet of music, while with her left she embraces a lyre; a violin can be seen beside her. With raised eyebrows, open eyes, and a slightly parted mouth, she faces her companion in three – quarter profile, as if engaged in a lively exchange.
The second muse on the left side of the painting is also depicted in three – quarter profile and turns toward the first. Her braided brown hair is adorned with laurel leaves, a classic attribute of poetic inspiration. She partially bares one breast, while a blue cloak is loosely draped over her gown. With her left hand, she plucks the strings of the instrument, while she supports herself with her right elbow and writes with a stylus on a sheet of paper on which several lines are already visible.
This work is a high – quality variation on a painting by de Troy in the New Orleans Museum of Art. The attribution is further supported by stylistic comparisons with other confirmed works by the artist, such as the Allégorie de la Force et de la Tempérance at the Château d’Aulteribe (Sermentizon). There, comparable poses of the figures, a similar treatment of the garments with their luminous colors, and a similarly constructed, softly modeled sky are evident. The facial features of the figures—particularly those of the muse on the right—as well as the finely rendered flesh tones also exhibit clear parallels. The combination of two allegorical figures further aligns with the artist’s practice of creating pairs centered on morally or intellectually charged themes.
De Troy’s painting is characterized by an elegant, flowing brushstroke and a rich yet harmonious color palette. His compositions combine decorative grace with narrative clarity and reflect the transition from the austere history painting of the 17th century to the lighter, gallant compositions of the 18th century. Despite growing criticism of allegorical representations over the course of the century—for instance by Abbé Du Bos or Denis Diderot—the genre remained in demand due to its representational and intellectual qualities. Works such as this one demonstrate the enduring fascination with allegorical themes, which in de Troy’s hands achieve a particular elegance and artistic refinement.
Bibliography: Christophe Leribault, Alastair Laing, Jean – François de Troy, 1679 – 1752, Paris, Arthéna, 2002.