Farid Abdelouahab's 'Muses' Celebrates 25 Influential Women

Farid Abdelouahab has edited a new book titled 'Muses' published by Arthaud, exploring the lives of 25 women who inspired great artists and writers. The volume, prefaced by Abdelouahab, examines how the concept of the muse evolved from mythological figures like Calliope and Clio to real women such as Lili Brik, Kiki de Montparnasse, Gala, Dora Maar, and Lee Miller. The book includes rare photographs, including a 1926 image of Vladimir Mayakovsky with Lili Brik in Yalta, a 1915 photo of Guillaume Apollinaire with his mistress Madeleine, and a poignant portrait of Kiki de Montparnasse. The text recounts the tumultuous lives and loves of these women, highlighting their impact on figures like Salvador Dalí, Louis Aragon, Alfred de Musset, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Rainer Maria Rilke, Gustav Klimt, Pablo Picasso, Josef von Sternberg, and Lewis Carroll. The author, Jacques Henric, emphasizes the emotional power of the photographs and narratives.