Art
Henry Church painted himself surrounded by the nine classical Muses—goddesses of inspiration—in this oil portrait from around 1880. For educated Americans of his era, such an image expressed a deeply personal faith: that art, learning, and beauty were divine gifts worth pursuing in one's own home.
Art · Full story
You stand in Church's studio, looking at what he sees in the mirror. Five graceful female figures—some half-visible, some luminous—float around his shoulders and gaze. He holds their attention. In this intimate moment, he claims kinship with genius itself, as if inspiration isn't distant or abstract but present, alive, watching him work.
Reflect
What do you surround yourself with to feel inspired or connected to something larger than yourself?