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	Calliope Stone Riley Acrylic on canvas 24 x 20 inches. This is meant to be an illustration for the legend of "American Industry". According to that popular idealistic story, Free Man's ingenuity and diligence in his work give rise to happiness. The painting's title has a double meaning. First there was the old Greek Calliope, fair voiced Muse of eloquence and epic poetic song. But then, perversely, the calliope in modern times became a type of mechanical organ with pipes run on pressurized steam, an instrument of richly nuanced howls and shrieks that was quite popular at extravaganza circuses in the late 19th Century. The painting's visual image too is double. Surely here we see the gilded gears of an industrial society monomaniacally amassing epic wealth, now too massive in its motions to be stopped. A pinkish hue beneath the glittering surface shows that the machinery is made of flesh. The music radiating out resembles lightless rays of night across a turbulent sea. But on the other hand, we might also find in this design some likeness to the shining crown worn by the goddess Liberty who stands in New York Harbor. Want to read more? www.stoneriley.com/TOMW.html Or the home website: www.stoneriley.com
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