La Decima Musa

Giulio Paolini
La Decima Musa (The Tenth Muse), 2023
silver enamel necklace
10 square elements 3 x 3 cm and torque 14 cm ø
edition of 8 plus 2 AP
Signed and numbered

La Decima Musa (The Tenth Muse) by Giulio Paolini, consists in a necklace formed by a total of ten geometrical squares one of which represents the face of Sappho, a Greek lyric poet. Made in two variants, one in 18kt yellow gold and one in polished silver, both enameled in an edition of ten exemplars, plus two artist’s proof each medium.

 Plato considered Sappho the best poetic voice in Greek history and called her “the tenth muse”. Here too the figure of Sappho is evoked, surrounded by the nine geometric images inscribed in the nine squares that allude to the nine Muses. The title Decima Musa also takes up a previous work of the artist, created in 1966.

 In this context Sappho, the tenth muse, become a symbol of the artist’s internal source of inspiration, indicating that true creativity arises from the depths of one’s mind. It invites viewers to consider the role of the artist as a muse-like figure, generating new ideas and perspectives. Sappho is Paolini’s vision of breaking boundaries, is the essence of creativity, research, and inspiration. The visual complexity present in this kaleidoscopic work, alludes to the multi-faceted nature of time and perception. Paolini’s choice of composition for this piece underscores the interconnection between past, present and future, suggesting that artistic inspiration is not confined to a specific moment but is instead a continuous dialogue across time.

 

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