Title: Apollo and Daphne
Author: Michelangelo Bernini
Year: 1625
Material: Marble
Dimensions: 243cm tall
Location: Galleria Borghese, Rome
The anatomy of the bodies are the classical model but more stylized. Is is also characteristic of baroque theatricality of the gestures. The expression of pain of Daphne and Apollo's surprise.
"Apollo and Daphne" belongs to the Italian Baroque (S:XVII). We can see that attempts to capture the emotion in the scene of Apollo, the position of the feetand twisted posture of Daphne. you can see the dynamism of Apollo versus static posture of Daphne (She is becoming tree).
The Movement has a very dynamic sculpture that seems to flow from inside. In this work we observe two positions, psychological: One hand Apollo-Daphne, on the other gand- that shows the drama, pain (mouth, eyes...) and beatiful.
Daphne, whose name means "laurel" in Greek, she is a nymph loved by Apollo, but one day she vowed never ever love any man.
One day Apollo was surprised to hear her singing and fell in love with this wonderful whisper. Daphne noticing their presence strops singing and freezes with frigth, she seeks a hiding terrifiedarouns. The God Apollo sedues her with magical words of love, she begs him to stop but he is deaf to he plea, then Daphne runs away, but she doesn't to transform into the arms of God. Her smooth skin was covered with bark, her delicate fingernails elongate sheetmultiplied with magical speed. Her branches from a dense hair, the face disappears behind the bark and the body is transformen into trunk.
She was fixed with her rroots buried in the ground, stiff and motionless. Apollo sadly hugs the tree.
