Leda en de zwaan 1550 - 1599

This drawing depicts Leda and the Swan, rendered anonymously in sanguine. The scene illustrates the Greek myth where Zeus, in the form of a swan, seduces Leda. This union bore Helen of Troy, a figure whose beauty launched a thousand ships. The swan, traditionally a symbol of purity and grace, here transforms into an emblem of divine power and desire. Recall Titian's "Danaë," where Zeus appears as golden rain—the god's intervention is a recurring motif. Yet, unlike Danaë's passive acceptance, Leda's embrace carries a charged tension. The swan's forceful presence and Leda's yielding posture evoke both vulnerability and allure. The depiction engages our collective memory, resonating with themes of fate, beauty, and the hidden forces that shape human destiny. Like a recurring dream, the image of Leda and the Swan resurfaces through art history, an eternal symbol of beauty, danger, and transformation.