Leda

Mediums: bronze.
Location: the Museum of Modern Art of New York (the USA).

The work shown at the first exhibition of Maillol’s sculptures attracted the attention of the master of French sculpture Auguste Rodin. His enthusiastic review was not only an important event for the beginning (albeit already forty years old) sculptor but also the beginning of his path to recognition and fame. Maillol did not become a follower of Rodin; that is, he did not accept impressionistic techniques and searches. On the contrary, he began to get rid of his passion for modernism and even the influence of the “Nabis”, although he maintained friendly relations with most of them. As an adherent of Neoclassicism, he carefully worked on each image for a long time, striving for the harmony of parts, perfect smoothness of sculptural surfaces and smooth lines of the silhouette. A copy of the sculpture is presented at the Art Institute of Chicago.