Leda and the Swan 1635 - 1655

Jacques Sarazin carved this marble sculpture of Leda and the Swan in the 17th century. Here, we see Leda, the Queen of Sparta, holding a swan, an allusion to Zeus, who seduced her in this guise. Beside her is Cupid, the god of desire, hinting at the narrative's themes of love and lust. This scene, charged with erotic tension, echoes across millennia. From ancient Greek pottery to Renaissance paintings, the swan as a symbol of metamorphosis and divine intervention persists. Think of Botticelli's Venus, emerging from the sea on a shell, a visual relative in its depiction of feminine beauty born from otherworldly encounters. Consider how the image of the swan has evolved. Initially a symbol of beauty and grace, in the context of the Leda myth, it embodies a primal, sometimes violent, force. The statue's beauty masks a more profound psychological drama, tapping into collective memories of transformation, desire, and the unpredictable nature of the divine. The myth cycles back through time, each reinterpretation adding new layers to its enduring allure.