Between 1622 and 1625 gian lorenzo bernini sculpted a baroque life sized marble statue entitled apollo and daphne apollo clutches daphne s hip pursuing her as she flees to escape him.
Marble sculpture of nymph turning into a tree.
A beautiful romantic marble sculpture statuette depicting a classical water nymph.
As ovid told the story in his metamorphoses when the beautiful nymph daphne finally escaped the pursuing apollo by turning into a laurel tree the roman god of music and poetry pledged his.
Apollo on one leg the other leg behind him.
And so it is at this moment of transformation what a perfect subject for bernini who transforms this rock of marble into something that looks as if it s in motion and it s living flesh.
In front of you is still a beautiful nymph but hands are already beginning to turn into twigs and leaves.
Apollo and daphne is a life sized baroque marble sculpture by italian artist gian lorenzo bernini executed between 1622 and 1625.
If you look at the sculpture for the first time you will see apollo chasing daphne.
Woman typical for baroque art this caught moment in time figures in motion.
But after a while you begin to notice the magical transformation of a living being into a tree.
Apollo wears a laurel crown and daphne is portrayed halfway through her metamorphosis into the laurel tree with her arms already transforming into its branches as she flees and calls to her father to save her.