A French carved white and vert d'Estour marble group representing Leda and the Swan ART NOUVEAU, FIRST QUARTER 20TH CENTURY

The carved surface still very crisp with slight weathering to the surface, i.e. the head of the swan and top of the left wing. Some cracks to the stone texture (not due to damage). The grey marble dress broken and restored. Overall with surface damages restored. The left index finger broken and reattached. Some yellowing in the white marble. Very elegant and attractive piece, but in restored condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Leda and the Swan is a motif from Greek mythology. As the story goes, Zeus took the form of a swan and raped or seduced Leda on the same night she slept with her husband, King Tyndareus.
Thanks to the literary renditions of Ovid and Fulgentius it was a well-known myth through the Middle Ages, but emerged more prominently as a classicizing theme, with erotic overtones, in the Italian Renaissance.
The present figure is possibly inspired by Leda and the Swan, a sonnet by William Butler Yeats (1865-1939), first published in the first half of the 20th Century. The poem is regularly praised as one of Yeats's masterpieces.