Leonardo's Hypothetical Painting of "Leda and the Swan"

Leonardo da Vinci observed in his notes, about the drawing of the human figure, "Come le donne si deono figurare con atti vergogniosi, gambe insieme strette, braccia raccolte insieme, teste basse e piegate in traverso." This became one of the positions he chose for the figure of Leda when contemplating the theme of "Leda and the swan" for which he executed several studies and at least one cartoon. A completed painting has traditionally been attributed to him, rationalized through other studies, a variety of 16th-century supposed copies, and a 17th century description. However, an examination of the literary and pictorial documentation reveals inaccuracies and contradictions which do not support an unequivocal assertion that a painting by Leonardo of this provocative subject ever existed. The primacy of the creative impulse seems often to have been more important to him than the actual completion of a work which, obviously, stifles further evolution of a theme. [Revised Publication Abstract]