Francois Boucher Leda and the Swan 1742
Oil on Canvas
The lush green landscape the decadent red drapery, the attention to detail of the flesh. Boucher's leda is a masterpiece of the French Rococo.
In comparison the the work before, Boucher's is one of the only interpretation placing two women at the scene. In research I did not get a clear consensus as to who the other woman was.
Interesting to note is the way in which the swans neck seem to be representation of the male phallic. Leda's arm is outstretched as the swan inches closer hinting at what is to come.
Looking at the different Leda's from renaissance to rococo it is interesting to note the expression on their faces here, Leda's face and expression to me are typical of what one might see in a rococo interpretation. The softness of her cheeks her delicate pouty lips.
In contrast to the others the swan seems rather small in this interpretation. Da Vinci's swan looks rather tame and domestic, in the lower right hand corner there is a bird suggesting true love? In Boucher's however it does not look like a rape is about to occur, it is more sensual and erotic.
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