Water Nymph (1907) by Paul Swan

Paul Swan (1883–1972), American, A figure of striking contradictions, he was both a classical revivalist and an eccentric performer, embodying the grace of ancient Greece while embracing the avant-garde spirit of early 20th-century modernism. Trained in sculpture and painting, his work exuded a lyrical idealism, often depicting mythological figures with elongated, ethereal forms that echoed the influence of Rodin and the Symbolists. Yet it was his theatrical persona—flamboyant, androgynous, and unabashedly dramatic—that cemented his legacy as the "most beautiful man in the world," a title bestowed by critics enchanted by his recitals of Greek poetry and interpretive dances.
Though his art was overshadowed by his performative fame, his sculptures and paintings reveal a meticulous craftsman obsessed with harmony and proportion. Themes of beauty, mortality, and transcendence recur, rendered in marble or oil with a delicate, almost fragile precision. Later in life, he became a cult figure in New York’s bohemian circles, teaching and performing well into his 80s, a living anachronism who bridged the Victorian era and the sexual revolution. His influence was subtle but enduring, inspiring later artists who blurred the lines between visual art and theatrical spectacle.