Head of a Muse

The Head of a Muse by Raphael shows the upturned face of a young woman, her serene expression and soft features exemplifying Renaissance ideals of beauty. Created around 1510 in black chalk, the study was preparation for Raphael's fresco Parnassus in the Vatican's Stanza della Segnatura. The muse's ethereal gaze directed heavenward captures the divine inspiration of poetry and music.

Raphael's smooth, idealized style contrasts with Michelangelo's muscular intensity. This drawing demonstrates his mastery of sfumato, the subtle blending of tones that Leonardo pioneered. The muse appears in the finished fresco among the poets gathered around Apollo on Mount Parnassus, though the painting includes less delicate shading than this intimate study.

The drawing is at the British Museum.