Four Dancing Muses

Giovanni Antonio da Brescia, after Andrea Mantegna

National Gallery of Art

This print shows four women depicted in full-length, standing and appearing to be engaged in a circular dance. They are positioned such that two are facing right, one towards us, and one facing left. The women have pale skin, long, straight noses, and arched eyebrows, with long, wavy hair styled in a variety of ways, including loose curls and braided updos. Their attire consists of flowing, intricately detailed robes that drape around their bodies, with ribbons and sashes floating in the air beside them. The women are barefoot, and their raised arms and feet suggest a dance. The background is a crosshatched pattern surrounded by a blank border.