according to hermes in lucians’ "the dialogues of the dead", leda and her daughter (helen of troy) are the only women worthy of the title “beauties of old.” rubens's depictions of leda clearly embody the phrase. with leda's curvy figure, alabaster skin, and golden hair, she is a sight to behold. because rubens was known for this type of female figures, leda was the perfect subject to paint. rubens became famous partly for his rubenesque figures and were not common at the time, making his two "leda’s" stand out even more.