Bust of Melpomene at The Réunion des Musées Nationaux, Paris

myminifactory

This marble bust (700 x 400 x 500 mm) originates from a colossal, full-body sculpture of the muse Melpomene created in (circa) 50 BC - also uploaded to Scan the World for exploration. It was originally discovered in Rome, close to the theatre of Pompée, and was part of the ancient Vatican collection. Melpomene, meaning "to sing" or "the one that is melodious," initially served as the Muse of Singing before becoming the Muse of Tragedy, which she is best known for now. Her name comes from the Greek verb melpô or melpomai, meaning "to celebrate with dance and song." She is often depicted wearing a tragic mask and the cothurnus, boots traditionally worn by tragic actors. Melpomene's father is Zeus, and her mother is Mnemosyne. Her sisters include Calliope (muse of epic poetry), Clio (muse of history), Euterpe (muse of lyrical poetry), Terpsichore (muse of dancing), Erato (muse of erotic poetry), Thalia (muse of comedy), Polyhymnia (muse of hymns), and Urania (muse of astronomy). In Roman and Greek poetry, it was traditional to invoke the goddess Melpomene so that one might create beautiful lyrical phrases. This object is part of "Scan The World," a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, through which we are creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from across the globe for public access. Scan the World is an open-source community effort, where contributors can email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how they can help.