Patinated cast bronze, the daughter of Zeus and Leda depicted crowned with diadem and standing in contrapposto with arms crossed and playing with pearls, incised signature "J. Clesinger" to the base.

27 1/2 in.

Born in Besançon in 1814, Jean-Baptiste Clésinger, also called Auguste Clésinger, was the son of George Philippe, a sculptor and stone mason. In 1832, he received training Rome within the studio of Bertel Thorvaldsen's studio, and later in Paris with David d'Angers. He first exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1843.

In 1847, Clésinger's Woman Woman with a Serpent caused a scandal as the nude model for this life size marble was rumored to be a well known courtesan Apollonie Sabatier, Baudelaire's mistress at the time. In 1849, he received the Cross of the Legion of Honor; he became an Officer in the Order in 1864. Jean-Baptiste's later work was influenced by the Greek revivalist movement, evident in this cast bronze.

Good estate condition; some scattered areas of rubbing to patina; light verdigris to interior.