Leda and the Swan
- Artist: Michelangelo
- Date: after 1530
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is the "Leda and the Swan" by Michelangelo, painted in the Italian north. The painting was made for Alfonso d’Este, Duke of Ferrara, in 1530, as a direct response to three mythological paintings received by the Duke from Titian.
Here we see the Greek god Zeus in the form of a swan seducing Leda, Queen of Sparta. Her pose seems to derive from sarcophagus reliefs and gems, similar to Michelangelo's marble "Night" in Florence. The painting is quite unique, as it has a strong sense of hardness and monumentality, unlike Titian's more fluid and colourful style.
It's interesting to note that Michelangelo saw Titian's "Danae" in Rome in 1545, praising its colouring and naturalness, but criticising the draughtsmanship. This highlights the rivalry between these two artists, as they competed for commissions from wealthy patrons.
Unfortunately, we don't have the original painting here, but rather an old copy made after it or its cartoon. The National Gallery's picture is quite damaged in places, and it's believed to be a reproduction of Michelangelo's original composition.
See it in person
Leda and the Swan hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
