Apollo and Daphne
Dublin Core
Title
Apollo and Daphne
Subject
Bernini's marble "Apollo and Daphne" sculpture. The work portrays the Greek myth of Daphne's transformation into a tree as Apollo runs toward her.
Description
Bernini’s life-sized marble sculpture of “Apollo and Daphne” is regarded as one of his most powerful and emotional works. The work was commissioned in 1622 by Cardinal Scipione Borghese and was initially placed in his villa.
The work illustrates the Greek myth of the nymph Daphne and her passionate admirer Apollo. According to the myth, Eros (Cupid) launched two arrows against Apollo, making him ardently in love with Daphne, the daughter of the river god Peneus. At every turn, he attempted to pursue her and she would run away from him every time She begged her father to help her. Peneus thus decided to turn into a laurel tree to save her from Apollo.
In Berni’s rendition of the myth, we see Apollo reaching for her as she transforms into the tree.
Bernini closely follows Ovid’s Metamorphoses verses on the Greek Myth. Bernini was known to be captivated by Ovidian themes and would always attempt to explore these themes in his artworks. Apollo and Daphne capture the Ovidian theme of the metamorphosis. This is seen with the metamorphosis of Daphne as she transforms into a laurel tree. Bernini captures this metamorphosis as it’s happening with her fingers and toes narrowing into branches and her curls turning into leaves. Apollo touches the emerging bark as he runs towards her during her transformation. We also witness the transformation of both characters’ emotional states. Apollo is caught between joy and confusion and he first becomes gleeful seeing his lover and then becomes bewildered when he grabs her and touches the bark growing on her. Daphne is shown in a frightened state as illustrated by her open-mouthed scream; however, she will soon emerge as a mute, calm tree, reaching her fully realized form.
Furthermore, we can see in this piece that Bernini closely followed Ovid’s scriptures of the myth. Ovid in his work dictates that “ the wind-exposed her body, the opposing breezes made her clothes move, and a light breeze made her hair fly behind her…her hair was changed to leaves, her arms to branches.” Bernini beautifully makes Ovid’s poetry come alive through marble. The powerful breeze is illustrated through Apollo’s garment waving in the wind and Daphne’s transforming hair blown by the breeze.
The work illustrates the Greek myth of the nymph Daphne and her passionate admirer Apollo. According to the myth, Eros (Cupid) launched two arrows against Apollo, making him ardently in love with Daphne, the daughter of the river god Peneus. At every turn, he attempted to pursue her and she would run away from him every time She begged her father to help her. Peneus thus decided to turn into a laurel tree to save her from Apollo.
In Berni’s rendition of the myth, we see Apollo reaching for her as she transforms into the tree.
Bernini closely follows Ovid’s Metamorphoses verses on the Greek Myth. Bernini was known to be captivated by Ovidian themes and would always attempt to explore these themes in his artworks. Apollo and Daphne capture the Ovidian theme of the metamorphosis. This is seen with the metamorphosis of Daphne as she transforms into a laurel tree. Bernini captures this metamorphosis as it’s happening with her fingers and toes narrowing into branches and her curls turning into leaves. Apollo touches the emerging bark as he runs towards her during her transformation. We also witness the transformation of both characters’ emotional states. Apollo is caught between joy and confusion and he first becomes gleeful seeing his lover and then becomes bewildered when he grabs her and touches the bark growing on her. Daphne is shown in a frightened state as illustrated by her open-mouthed scream; however, she will soon emerge as a mute, calm tree, reaching her fully realized form.
Furthermore, we can see in this piece that Bernini closely followed Ovid’s scriptures of the myth. Ovid in his work dictates that “ the wind-exposed her body, the opposing breezes made her clothes move, and a light breeze made her hair fly behind her…her hair was changed to leaves, her arms to branches.” Bernini beautifully makes Ovid’s poetry come alive through marble. The powerful breeze is illustrated through Apollo’s garment waving in the wind and Daphne’s transforming hair blown by the breeze.
Creator
Gian Lorenzo Bernini
Source
Wilkins, Ann Thomas. “Bernini and Ovid: Expanding the Concept of Metamorphosis.” International Journal of the Classical Tradition 6, no. 3 (2000): 383–408. http://www.jstor.org/stable/30222585.
Bacchi, Andrea, and Anna Coliva. Bernini. Milano: Officina Libraria srl, 2017.
Reid, Jane Davidson. The Oxford Guide to Classical Mythology in the Arts 1300-1990s. 1. Vol. 1. New York: Oxford Univ. Press, 1993.
Bacchi, Andrea, and Anna Coliva. Bernini. Milano: Officina Libraria srl, 2017.
Reid, Jane Davidson. The Oxford Guide to Classical Mythology in the Arts 1300-1990s. 1. Vol. 1. New York: Oxford Univ. Press, 1993.
Publisher
Joy of Museums Virtual Tours
Date
1622-25
Contributor
Sofia Silvosa
Format
243 cm
Type
Marble sculpture
Coverage
Galleria Borghese in Rome
Files
Collection
Citation
Gian Lorenzo Bernini, “Apollo and Daphne,” ARTHIST 256 - Italian Baroque Art - Fall 2021, accessed October 22, 2026, https://www.baroque.dahvc.org/fall-2021/items/show/249.