One of the most stunning statues in Szechenyi Bath is located by the outdoor pool: a female figure lovingly holding a swan in harmonious unison. The woman is Leda, the queen of Sparta who, according to Greek mythology surrounding the Trojan War, attracted the attention of Zeus (we know how easily he became distracted, like a modern film producer, hopping around in disguise).
Zeus, transforming into a swan, approached Leda and, in the more gentle version of the myth, seduced her. This encounter led to the birth of significant mythological figures. Leda gave birth to the semi-divine Helen of Troy, Clytemnestra, and the mortal twins (from her legal husband), Castor and Pollux.
The encounter is said to have taken place by the river Eurotas in Sparta, where Zeus, as a swan, sought refuge from an eagle. Although you will not find the eagle in Szechenyi Bath, the hot spring waters of the geothermal pool metaphorically represent the waves of Eurotas in the riverside encounter. When Leda found Zeus, he seduced her with his divine charm. The statue represents a consensual interpretation of the encounter.
This Greek myth inspired Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Rubens and many more artists.
Dezső Lányi’s statue of Leda and the Swan, created in 1923, offers a nuanced take on the myth, which inherently raises complex questions about consent. In this interpretation, Lányi presents Leda with a poised, almost ambiguous expression, capturing both beauty and tension in her interaction with the swan. Unlike some depictions that may appear more submissive or violent, Lányi’s Leda holds a level of dignity and composure, subtly shifting the portrayal from one of victimisation to one of agency.
The statue, originally a bronze statue of Lanyi made in 1911, however, is still based on the classical myth in which Zeus, as a swan, seduces Leda—often without explicit mutual consent in traditional accounts. Lányi’s artistic approach, with its restrained and refined composition, leaves room for viewers to interpret Leda’s demeanour as they wish, but it doesn’t fully resolve the questions of autonomy or power. Instead, the piece exists in the space between myth and viewer interpretation, allowing each individual to bring their own understanding of consent to the story it represents.
