The 10 Most Influential Artist’s Muses
by Paul Laster

Throughout history, artists have been inspired by the presence of certain other people in their lives that motivated them to create their best work. The source of inspiration could be a man, a woman, or even a pet, but it is almost always a being that also possesses great talent and an expressive imagination. From the model for Édouard Manet’s Olympia and Pablo Picasso’s mistress in the heyday of surrealism to Francis Bacon’s drunken pal and David LaChapelle’s doll-face girlfriend, we’ve uncovered the most influential muses of modern times. Click through our choices and let us know who would be on your list.
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Thank you so much for breaking down the steps so clearly—I’ve been wanting to tackle a project like this for weeks but was honestly a little intimidated by the measurements. Your tip about pre-drilling the holes saved me a huge headache, and the finished piece turned out great. Really appreciate how easy you made this to follow!