Gianlorenzo Bernini’s Apollo and Daphne is considered one of the greatest artistic marvels of the Baroque period. This life-sized marble sculpture depicts the culmination of the story of Apollo and Daphne in Ovid’s Metamorphosis, which inspired Bernini to create this masterpiece. The sculpture was commissioned by Cardinal Scipione Borghese for his villa and is housed in the Galleria Borghese in Rome along with other important works by the artist.
Bernini’s skillful handling of marble creates a theatrical effect, marking a significant turning point in sculpture during this era. Apollo and Daphne portrays one of the most dramatic scenes in Ovid’s story where Apollo, who had been struck by Cupid’s arrow, pursues Daphne relentlessly. She then prays to Peneus, her father God, for help who transforms her into a laurel tree just as Apollo reaches her.
“Apollo and Daphne” by Bernini revolutionized sculptural forms through its depiction of naturalism and movement that transforms stone into flesh. The sculpture secured Bernini international fame as it became one of his first major commissions. With its brilliant execution, powerful symbolism, extraordinary technique, and cultural significance; it becomes easy to see why scholars hail it as an embodiment of Italian Baroque artistry.
