Thoughts on the function of the Muse
The notion of the muse for creative people has a long-standing tradition. When some speak of their muse it is acknowledged that it not only inspires them to create; but is a conduit to channel ideas that reveal their creative impulses. In some cases, the muse can inform a concern and or direction purely based one’s world view. It is safe to say that all aspects of an artist’s production are influenced by so many cultural touchstones including media.
Sometimes the muse is a person that is a love interest, the image of that person litters the creative landscape. We find an almost insatiable desire to adorn that person in all environments, whether it be a domestic scene or one that includes dream like or fantasy scenarios. A personal love interest can at times become a stylization in the hand of the artist, the person can become an architype. Having been so immersed in a relationship and having studied their love. It is the evolution of their relationship, which is reflected in the work produced.
The romanticization of another can also be an infatuation or a secret love unbeknownst to the other. The poet Dante’s devotion and infatuation of Beatrice is a prime example of unrequited love. Dante Alighieri had loved her from afar, and when she passed away at an early age, he imbued a sense of divinity to her. The Divine Comedy finds Beatrice as one of the guides who assist him through his journey in his work the Divine Comedy.
The muse can also be found in nature or the landscape. The impulse to create works that speak of a yearning of places and or as a symbol to express the power of a higher being. The majestic power of nature and our own sense of place in the world can often be a concern for some artists. The 19th century German Romantic artist Caspar David Friedrich is a perfect example of an artist that not only created landscapes but often had lone figures included in the composition. Friedrich was concerned with spirituality and the sublime, an examination of the spiritual self through the contemplation of nature. His painting Monk by The Sea of 1810, channels the forces of the sky as well as the sea with a diminutive figure looking at the great power of nature.
Regardless of the muse’s origin whether it be intangible notions or those that are concrete; be it figurative, or those found in nature. It is this relationship with our senses and the underpinning of emotions that compel us to create.
In many ways the muse is a way to not only channel creativity but also inspire a continued body of work that could encompasses one’s entire creative life. In many ways the muse is an obsession that is always at the forefront of an artist’s output. It gives a person focus and in many ways the springboard for self expression. The next time you feel unmotivated to create think of the influences that drive your creative output. If you find you continue to keep making what appears to be the same thing repeatedly, embrace it for what it is. You could be very much still exploring; don’t feel you need to be clever or create something “new”. In time it will reveal itself to you in your body of work and branch off in places you might never had suspected you would venture.