Leda and the Swan

myminifactory

Roman copies of a work by Timotheus, a Greek sculptor from the 4th century BC, rival and contemporary of Scopas of Paros. Leda and the Swan is a story and artwork subject in Greek mythology where Zeus, in swan form, seduces Leda. According to later Greek mythology, Leda bears Helen and Polydeuces, children of Zeus, while simultaneously bearing Castor and Clytemnestra, children of her husband Tyndareus, King of Sparta. In the W.B. Yeats version, it is subtly suggested that Clytemnestra, although being Tyndareus' daughter, has been traumatized by what the swan did to her mother. Zeus takes the form of a swan and seduces Leda on the same night she sleeps with King Tyndareus in many versions. In some versions, she lays two eggs from which the children hatch. In other versions, Helen is a daughter of Nemesis, goddess who personified disaster awaiting those suffering from pride's hubris. The subject was rarely seen in large-scale sculpture of antiquity, although a representation of Leda in sculpture has been attributed to Timotheus; small-scale sculptures survive showing reclining and standing poses in cameos, engraved gems, rings, and terracotta oil lamps. Thanks to Ovid and Fulgentius' literary renditions, it was a well-known myth through the Middle Ages but emerged more prominently as a classicizing theme with erotic overtones in the Italian Renaissance. This object is part of "Scan The World". Scan the World is a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from across the globe for public access free. Scan the World is an open source community effort; if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help.