Greek Leda And The Swan Terracotta

$442.30

A hollow-moulded terracotta figurine depicting Leda. She stands nude on a rectangular base, with a veil over her piled hair, and clutching the head of Zeus in the form of a swan to her torso. There is a circular hole to the reverse, and the underside is hollow.

Date: 4th - 3rd Century BC
Period: Hellenistic Period
Provenance: Ex Rizzi family collection; acquired in the 1970s.
Condition: Fine condition.

SOLD

SKU: AS-1655 Category: Tags: , ,

This figurine is of Leda, who in Greek mythology was seduced by Zeus while he was in the guise of a swan. At one point in the myth, Leda uses her arms to shield Zeus, in swan form, from a passing eagle: this appears to be the moment of the narrative chosen by the sculptor. Leda was mother to four children, all worthy of note: Helen of Troy, Clytemnestra, Castor, and Pollux.

Weight 332 g
Dimensions H 21.7 cm
Culture

Region

Pottery and Porcelain

Greek Mythology