Influencial Muses We Love

Art. It is both personal and powerful, it has the capability of inspiring the masses. There are so many things that have inspired great artists such as nature, imagination and even politics however, there is no inspiration more powerful to an artist than his muse. You may know the paintings, you definitely know the artists, but do you know the women behind these pieces. The following examines what we believe to be the five most influential muses in art history. Each of the following women possessed a form of power over these legendary artists, which is something to be praised for.

Alba Clemente- Muse to Francesco Clemente

Francesco Clemente is a famous italian artist whose wife, Alba, can take credit for a lot of his work. Their intimate relationship has inspired most of the artists beautiful paintings, drawings, pastels and prints. The couple have been together since 1974 and they have spent almost every moment with each other since. Francesco and Alba have travelled the world with one another. A lot of the time, Alba is portrayed as her husbands female double or soul mate, which is the artists way of demonstrating his love for his inspiring muse.

Kiki de Montparnasse- muse to Man Ray

Kiki de Montparnasse, who was born under the name Alice Prin has a passion for modeling from a young age. At only fourteen years old the beautiful Kiki began posing nude. Soon after that she became the muse to many Surrealist artists at the time. The incredible Man Ray instantly saw something in the young girl and made her his lover, casting her in many of his iconic films and photos including his most recognized piece, the photo titled Noire et Blanche, in 1926. Kiki was an artist herself, the painter and cabaret singer never got the recognition for her talent, but she was recognized for her beauty and influence on this great artist.

Dora Maar- Muse to Pablo Picasso

Dora Maar was a talented french artist who was best known for her paintings and poetry. When she was twenty eight years old she began a love affair with the world renowned artist Pablo Picasso who was fifty four at the time. The pair inspired one another, loved one another and shared passion both for art and each other. Throughout their nine year relationship Picasso painted numerous portraits of his muse at the time. A lot of the portraits that Pablo captured of her expressed her sadness. Maar had been dealing with depression due to her sterility and Picasso eventually moved on to another lover. However, anyone who knows Pablo Picasso's work knows that Maar was his most inspiring and important muse throughout his career.

Georgia O'Keeffe- Muse to Alfred Stieglitz

The love story between Georgia O'Keeffe the painter and Alfred Stieglitz the photographer is one of the most moving stories in art history. Between the years 1915 and 1946, O'Keeffee and Stieglitz exchanged over twenty-five thousand love letters to one another. The twenty-four year age difference did not matter to the pair, they believed in what they shared with one another. Stieglitz who was already quite famous at the time included her pieces in his gallery, giving her the exposure she needed as an artist. Throughout his career she was without a doubt his most inspiring muse, she was the subject to many of his most renowned photographs which have changed the face of photography forever.

Edie Sedgwick - Muse to Andy Warhol

Eddie Sedgwick was a gorgeous heiress and model whose biggest claim to fame besides being a party girl was being one of Andy Warhol's most inspiring muses. This fashionable wild child is best described as a free spirit, known to always be the life of the party. She spent her entire inheritance in six months and lived life in the moment. This vixen appeared in a lot of Warhol's underground movies and gained a large fan base due to her undisputed beauty and recognizable style. Sadly, she passed away at the ripe age of twenty-eight due to her problems with substance abuse.

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