Leda e il cigno

This drawing on terracotta tells the myth of Leda, a young and beautiful queen who was seduced by Zeus in the disguise of a swan. The terracotta plate, whose shape has been molded to hold the different features of the composition, offers the physical base for the pencil drawing that depicts Leda, as well as the high-relief modeled swan. This latter – finished with a gold-like patina – offers a little variation of color against the red terracotta background.