Leda and the Swan, c. 1710, Antonio Montauti, Italian, 1683–1746, 18 in. ( cm), Bronze, Italy, 18th century, Zeus, the ancient Greek god of the sky and thunder, desired Leda, the beautiful wife of Tyndareus, king of Sparta. To win her affection, he assumed the elegant guise of a swan and approached her on a riverbank. In Montauti’s work, the two are shown in a tender embrace, with the swan inclining intently to meet the mortal Leda’s affectionate gaze. Their close eye contact suggests they share not only a physical attraction—the main focus of most artistic representations of the subject

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Photo credit: © Penta Springs / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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