Ruth Millington Interviewed by David Isaac

Art historian Ruth Millington takes a fresh look at the muse and argues that the perception of the muse as a passive powerless and young model is far from the truth.

Millington looks at masterpieces of art from the ancient world to today to show how muses have brought emotional support, intellectual energy, career-changing creativity, and practical help to artists. Who was Picasso’s Weeping Woman? Why was Grace Jones covered in graffiti? How did Francis Bacon meet the burglar who became his muse?

Millington has worked for galleries and museums including the Ashmolean and the Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art. She often appears as an art expert on television and radio and writes for national newspapers.