Leda and the Hat-pin
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1999
This circular art medal, titled "Leda and the Hat-pin," was designed and created by the British sculptor and painter Linda Crook. Made in London in 1999, the medal is cast in silver with dark patination. It measures 7.5 cm in diameter and has a depth of 0.8 cm.
The obverse depicts a three-quarter view of a female head wearing a swan-shaped hat. Her arm is positioned along the edge of the medal, wrapping around the hat as she holds a hat pin. According to the record, the reverse shows a close-up detail of a feather. The design presents a feminist reworking of the classical myth of Leda and the Swan.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
This piece is the first medal in a trilogy by Linda Crook created to challenge Greek myths—including Leda and the swan, Apollo and Daphne, and Europa and the bull—aiming to free female subjects from the role of victim. The medal was on loan from the artist from 2004 until 2023, when it was presented as a gift by the artist to the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- Cast silver, with dark patination
- Dimensions
- Diameter: 7.5 cm; Depth: 0.8 cm
Technical characteristics
- Maker recorded
- Crook, Linda
- Place recorded
- London
Identification
- Source note
- Transcribed from the Victoria and Albert Museum collection record for this single object; how far it represents a wider collectible type has not been independently verified.
- Museum object name
- Leda and the Hat-pin
- Museum object number
- A.1-2023
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.