Leda and the Swan
Modeler
Etienne-Maurice Falconet
(French, 1716 - 1791)
Manufacturer
Sèvres Porcelain Manufactory
(French, 1756 - present)
Artist After
François Boucher
(French, 1703 - 1770)
Date1764-1766
MediumUnglazed soft-paste porcelain (biscuit)
DimensionsOverall: 13 1/4 × 8 1/4 × 13 1/2 inches (33.66 × 20.96 × 34.29 cm)
Credit LinePurchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust
Object number33-669
On View
Not on viewCollections
DescriptionGroup of Leda and a nymph seated on rock wih swan to right on ground.Exhibition HistoryLuxury and Passion: Inventing French Porcelain, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri, August 13 2022–August 12 2024, no cat.
Based on an erotic painting, this sculpture tells the Greek myth of the princess Leda, who is confronted while bathing with an attendant by the god Zeus disguised as a swan. Mythology is unclear about whether this was a consensual or forced encounter. Leda subsequently gave birth to semi-divine children, including Helen of Troy, whose kidnapping spurred the Trojan War.
Information about a particular artwork or image, including provenance information,
is based upon historic information and may not be currently accurate or complete.
Research on artwork and images is an ongoing process, and the information about a
particular artwork or image may not reflect the most current information available to the Museum.
If you notice a mistake or have additional information about a particular artwork or image,
please e-mail provenance@nelson-atkins.org.
