Leda and the Swan
circa 1532
Correggio reimagines the classic myth of Zeus seducing Leda in the form of a swan, but with a surprisingly gentle, almost domestic touch. Leda sits comfortably in a lush forest, cradling the large white bird while attendants and playful cherubs look on. This piece was originally part of a set of four paintings depicting the 'Loves of Jupiter' commissioned for the Duke of Ferrara. Legend has it that from this union, Leda laid eggs that hatched into Helen of Troy and the twins Castor and Pollux, making this a very consequential picnic!
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