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From the Pre-Raphaelites to Picasso, Vermeer to Freud, some of the most famous Western artwork involves an artist\u2019s muse. So who are the muses who have inspired great art? How do they embody an artist\u2019s vision? And why has the muse artist relationship led to abuse of power? Nuala speaks to art historian and author Ruth Millington and to writer, curator and podcaster Alayo Akinkugbe.

Penelope Tree was one of the most famous models of the 1960s and the muse of her then boyfriend, the photographer David Bailey. Despite appearing on the cover of Vogue and being credited by Bailey with kick-starting the flower-power movement, Penelope\u2019s life became increasingly difficult as their relationship began to flounder. These events have inspired Penelope\u2019s loosely biographical novel Piece of My Heart and she joins Nuala to discuss her depiction of life as a \u201860s muse.

In ancient Greek mythology, the nine muses are the inspirational goddesses of the arts, science and literature. So who are the nine muses? Nuala speaks to classicist Professor Edith Hall.

Dora Maar was as a photographer, painter and poet but is probably most famous as Pablo Picasso\u2019s lover and muse. Author Louisa Treger captures the complexity of this artist and muse relationship in her novel The Paris Muse and joins Nuala to discuss how the inspiration Dora offered Picasso nearly destroyed her.

We hear from Liza Lim, a Melbourne-based composer who collaborated with violinist and researcher Karin Hellqvist on a composition called \u2018One and the Other (speculative Polskas for Karin)\u2019, exploring Karin\u2019s relationship to her heritage and Swedish musical traditions.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern\nProducer: Laura Northedge\nEditor: Deiniol Buxton