Leda

<p>Sculptor Constantin Brancusi believed the material with which he worked had its own life, a uniqueness and essence that he had to seek out in order to reveal the form contained within. In <em>Leda</em>, sculptural metamorphosis became the very subject of the work. According to classical mythology, the god Zeus changed into a swan in order to seduce the beautiful Leda. Brancusi explained to visitors to his studio that he chose to transform the transformation—changing Leda, rather than Zeus, into a swan. He explained, &quot;I never could imagine a male being turned into a swan, impossible, but a woman, yes, quite easily.&quot; Brancusi envisioned the form &quot;ceaselessly creating a new life, a new rhythm,&quot; which he enhanced by its circular concrete base, a type that he designed by 1916 and used in various sizes for many different sculptures.</p>