Leda Et Le Cygne 

Gustave Moreau created this watercolor painting, Leda and the Swan, using traditional art materials. Watercolor has a reputation for being delicate, but Moreau’s handling of it is remarkably robust. The paper has been soaked with pigment, so the mythological scene seems to emerge from a primordial mist. Note how the blue and brown washes create the environment, while the figures of Leda and the swan are more delicately rendered in pale tones. It’s almost as though Moreau built up the image through a process of repeated immersion. While watercolor painting requires a great deal of skill, it’s also a relatively accessible medium, not requiring the same degree of equipment or studio space as oil painting or sculpture. This may have appealed to Moreau, who was a highly independent artist, preferring to work outside the established academic system. It's a reminder that even the most seemingly traditional materials can be used in radical ways.