Fragmentary figure of Leda and the swan. Ancient... Lot 7

Fragmentary figure of Leda and the swan. Ancient Rome, ca. 1st-2nd century AD. Marble. In good condition. Provenance: European private collection, acquired at auction, Nuremberg, Germany, late 1990s / Acquired at Christie's, London, auction, October, 2008; Exhibited: Feriarte, IFEMA (Madrid, 16-24 November 2019). Measurements: 20 cm. This is a representation of the lower part of Leda's body. Covered by a himation, the young woman bends her left knee while the animal's head twists around her waist. The story of Leda and the swan comes from Greek mythology. Leda was the wife of Tindarus, King of Sparta. One day, while walking along the river Eurotas, after having sex with her husband Tindarus, Leda was seduced by Zeus, who appeared in the form of a swan, something he often did in order to have sex with women. From these relations, Leda bore four children, two by her mortal husband Tindarus and two by the god Zeus. This motif is rarely depicted, but is very common in Renaissance painting.