LEDA AND THE SWAN
sculpted marble
This sculpture represents Leda, queen of Sparta, as she tenderly embraces the swan. Ever since classical antiquity, this has been one of the most famous subjects in the history of art, widely featured in Renaissance painting, as demonstrated by a number of works from Leonardo’s circle.
Zeus fell in love with this beautiful girl and approached her in the form of a swan as she was bathing, succeeding in seducing her. The myth tells us that their union led to the birth of Castor and Pollux.
Our sculpture depicts one of the tenderest moments in that myth. The gracefulness of the woman, the classical-style drapery of the cloak that encircles her legs, the precise analysis of the forms and feathers of the swan, epitomise academic and neoclassical culture.
19th century neoclassical sculptor
cm 82 height
