Apollo and Daphne: sculpture based on ancient Greek myth. Apollo. The myth about Apollo, Daphne, Apollo and the muses. N.A.Kun. Legends and myths of Ancient Greece Ears of King Midas

Who are Apollo and Daphne? We know the first of this pair as one of the Olympic gods, the son of Zeus, the patron saint of muses and high arts. And what about Daphne? This character in the mythology of Ancient Greece is of no less high origin. Her father was, according to Ovid, the Thessalian river god Peneus. Pausanias considers her the daughter of Ladon, also the patron saint of the river in Arcadia. And the mother of Daphne was the goddess of the earth, Gaia. What happened to Apollo and Daphne? How is this tragic story of unquenched and rejected love revealed in the works of artists and sculptors of later eras? Read about this in this article.

The myth of Daphne and Leucippus

It crystallized in the Hellenistic era and had several options. The most detailed story called "Apollo and Daphne" is described by Ovid in his "Metamorphoses" ("Transformations"). The young nymph lived and was raised under the auspices of Like her, Daphne also took a vow of chastity. A certain mortal fell in love with her - Leucippus. To get closer to the beauty, he put on a woman's outfit and braided his hair. His deception was revealed when Daphne and other girls went swimming in Ladona. The offended women tore Leucippus to pieces. Well, what does Apollo have to do with it? - you ask. This is just the beginning of the story. The sun-like son of Zeus at that time only slightly sympathized with Daphne. But even then the insidious god was jealous. The girls exposed Leucippus not without the help of Apollo. But it was not love yet ...

The myth of Apollo and Eros

Influence on art

The plot of the myth "Apollo and Daphne" is one of the most popular in the culture of Hellenism. Ovid Nazon played on him in poetry. Antikov was struck by the transformation of a beautiful girl into an equally beautiful plant. Ovid describes how the face disappears behind the foliage, the tender chest is clothed with bark, the arms raised in supplication become branches, and the brisk legs become roots. But, says the poet, beauty remains. In the art of late antiquity, the nymph was most often also depicted at the time of her miraculous transformation. Only sometimes, as, for example, in the house of the Dioscuri (Pompeii), does the mosaic represent her being overtaken by Apollo. But in subsequent eras, artists and sculptors illustrated only the story of Ovid that came down to the descendants. It is in the miniature illustrations for "Metamorphoses" that the plot "Apollo and Daphne" is encountered for the first time in European art. The painting depicts the transformation of a running girl into a laurel.

Apollo and Daphne: sculpture and painting in European art

The era of the Renaissance is called that because it revived interest in Antiquity. Since the century Quadrocento (fifteenth century), the nymph and the Olympic god literally do not leave the paintings of famous masters. The most famous work of Pollaiolo (1470-1480). His Apollo and Daphne is a painting depicting a god in a smart jacket, but with bare legs, and a nymph in a fluttering dress with green branches instead of fingers. This theme became even more popular in the Pursuit of Apollo and the transformation of a nymph portrayed by Bernini, L. Giordano, Giorgione, G. Tiepolo and even Jan Brueghel. Rubens was not shy about this frivolous theme. In the Rococo era, the plot was no less fashionable.

Apollo and Daphne by Bernini

It is hard to believe that this marble sculptural group is the work of a novice master. However, when the work graced the Roman residence of Cardinal Borghese in 1625, Giovanni was only twenty-six. The two-figure composition is very compact. Apollo almost overtook Daphne. The nymph is still full of movement, but the metamorphosis is already taking place: foliage appears in the fluffy hair, the velvety skin is covered with bark. Apollo, and after him the viewer, sees that the prey is slipping away. The master masterfully transforms marble into a flowing mass. And we, looking at the sculptural group "Apollo and Daphne" by Bernini, forget that in front of us is a stone block. The figures are so plastic, so directed upward that they seem to be made of ether. The characters don't seem to touch the ground. To justify the presence of this strange group in the house of the clergyman, Cardinal Barberini wrote an explanation: "Anyone seeking the enjoyment of fleeting beauty runs the risk of ending up with palms full of bitter berries and leaves."

Apollo. The myth about Apollo, Daphne, Apollo and the muses. N.A.Kun. Legends and myths of Ancient Greece

Apollo is one of the oldest gods in Greece. Traces of totemism are clearly preserved in his cult. So, for example, in Arcadia they worshiped Apollo, depicted in the form of a ram. Apollo was originally the god of the flock. Gradually he became more and more the god of light. Later, he was considered the patron saint of settlers, the patron saint of the founding Greek colonies, and then the patron saint of art, poetry and music. Therefore, in Moscow, on the building of the Bolshoi Academic Theater, there is a statue of Apollo with a lyre in his hands, riding a chariot drawn by four horses. In addition, Apollo became a god who predicts the future. Throughout the ancient world, his sanctuary in Delphi was famous, where the priestess-pythia gave predictions. These predictions, of course, were made by the priests, who knew well everything that was done in Greece, and were made in such a way that they could be interpreted in either direction. The prediction given in Delphi to the king of Lydia Croesus during his war with Persia was known in ancient times. He was told: "If you cross the river Galis, you will destroy a great kingdom," but which kingdom, his own or Persian, this was not said.

The birth of Apollo

The god of light, golden-haired Apollo, was born on the island of Delos. His mother Latona, driven by the anger of the goddess Hera, could not find shelter anywhere. Pursued by the dragon Python sent by the Hero, she wandered around the world and finally took refuge on Delos, which in those days was rushing along the waves of the stormy sea. As soon as Latona entered Delos, huge pillars rose from the depths of the sea and stopped this deserted island. He became unshakable in the place where he still stands. All around Delos the sea was rustling. The cliffs of Delos rose dejectedly, bare without the slightest vegetation. Only sea gulls found shelter on these rocks and resounded them with their sad cry. But then the god of light Apollo was born, and streams of bright light flooded everywhere. They filled the rocks of Delos like gold. Everything around bloomed, sparkled: the coastal rocks, and Mount Kint, and the valley, and the sea. The goddesses gathered on Delos loudly praised the born god, offering him ambrosia and nectar. All nature around rejoiced along with the goddesses. (Myth about Apollo)

Apollo's fight with Python
and the founding of the Delphic Oracle

The young, radiant Apollo rushed across the azure sky with a cithara (an ancient Greek stringed musical instrument similar to a lyre) in his hands, with a silver bow over his shoulders; golden arrows rang loudly in his quiver. Proud, exultant, Apollo rushed high above the earth, threatening everything evil, everything generated by darkness. He strove to the place where the formidable Python lived, who pursued his mother Latona; he wanted to take revenge on him for all the evil that he had done to her.
Apollo quickly reached the gloomy gorge, the abode of Python. Cliffs rose all around, reaching high into the sky. Darkness reigned in the gorge. Along its bottom, a mountain stream was swiftly rushing, gray with foam, and mists swirled over the stream. The terrible Python crawled out of his lair. His huge body, covered with scales, wriggled between the rocks in countless rings. Rocks and mountains trembled with the weight of his body and budged. Furious Python gave everything to devastation, he spread death around. The nymphs and all living things fled in terror. Python rose, mighty, furious, opened his terrible mouth and was about to devour the golden-haired Apollo. Then there was a ringing of the bowstring of a silver bow, like a spark flashed in the air a golden arrow that knew no miss, followed by another, a third; arrows rained down on Python, and he fell lifeless to the ground. The triumphant victory song (pean) of the golden-haired Apollo, the winner of Python, sounded loudly, and the golden strings of the god's cithara echoed it. Apollo buried the body of Python in the ground where the sacred Delphi stood, and founded a sanctuary and an oracle in Delphi to divine in it the will of his father Zeus to people.
From a high bank far out into the sea, Apollo saw a ship of Cretan sailors. Under the guise of a dolphin, he rushed into the blue sea, overtook the ship and flew up like a radiant star from the sea waves at its stern. Apollo brought the ship to the pier of the city of Chris (a city on the shores of the Gulf of Corinth, which served as a harbor for Delphi) and led the Cretan sailors through a fertile valley, playing on a golden cithara, to Delphi. He made them the first priests of his sanctuary. (Myth about Apollo)

Daphne

Based on Ovid's poem "Metamorphoses"

The bright, joyful god Apollo knows sorrow, and grief befell him. He experienced grief shortly after defeating Python. When Apollo, proud of his victory, stood over the monster slain by his arrows, he saw near him the young god of love Eros, drawing his golden bow. Laughing, Apollo told him:
- What do you need such a formidable weapon for, child? Let it be better for me to send the smashing golden arrows with which I have just killed Python. Are you equal to glory with me, arrow-bearer? Do you want to achieve greater glory than me?
Offended Eros proudly replied to Apollo: (The myth of Apollo)
- Your arrows, Phoebus-Apollo, do not know a miss, they strike everyone, but my arrow will hit you.

Eros flapped his golden wings and in the blink of an eye flew up to high Parnassus. There he took out two arrows from a quiver: one - a wounding heart and one that provokes love, with it he pierced the heart of Apollo, the other - a killing love, he sent it into the heart of the nymph Daphne, the daughter of the river god Peneus.
Once met the beautiful Daphne Apollo and fell in love with her. But as soon as Daphne saw the golden-haired Apollo, she began to run with the speed of the wind, because the arrow of Eros, killing love, pierced her heart. The silver-eyed god hurried after her.
- Stop, beautiful nymph, - Apollo cried, - why are you running from me, like a lamb chased by a wolf, Like a dove fleeing from an eagle, you rush! After all, I'm not your enemy! Look, you cut your feet on the sharp thorns of the thorns. Oh wait, stop! After all, I am Apollo, the son of the thunderer Zeus, and not a mere mortal shepherd,
But the beautiful Daphne was running faster and faster. As if on wings, Apollo rushes after her. He is getting closer. Now it will overtake! Daphne can feel his breath. The strength leaves her. Daphne prayed to her father Peney:
- Father Peney, help me! Make way quickly, earth, and devour me! Oh, take this image away from me, it causes me one suffering!
As soon as she said this, her limbs immediately became numb. The bark covered her delicate body, her hair turned to foliage, and her hands, raised to the sky, turned into branches. For a long time Apollo stood before the laurel, sad, and finally said:
- Let the wreath only from your greenery adorn my head, let from now on you decorate with your leaves both my cithara and my quiver. May it never fade, oh laurel, your greenery Stay forever green!
And the laurel quietly rustled in response to Apollo with its thick branches and, as if in agreement, bowed its green peak.

Apollo at Admet

Apollo had to cleanse himself from the sin of the shed blood of Python. After all, he himself purifies people who have committed murder. He retired by decision of Zeus to Thessaly to the beautiful and noble king Admet. There he tended the king's flocks and by this service he atoned for his sin. When Apollo played in the pasture on a reed flute or on a golden cithara, wild animals came out of the thicket, fascinated by his game. Panthers and fierce lions walked peacefully among the herds. Deer and chamois flocked to the sound of the flute. Peace and joy reigned around. Prosperity settled in the house of Admet; no one had such fruits, his horses and herds were the best in all Thessaly. All this was given to him by the golden-haired god. Apollo helped Admetus get the hand of the daughter of King Iolcus Pelias, Alcesta. Her father promised to give her to wife only to someone who would be able to harness a lion and a bear in his chariot. Then Apollo endowed his favorite Admet with invincible strength, and he fulfilled this task of Pelias. Apollo served with Admet for eight years and, after completing his sin-atoning service, returned to Delphi.
Apollo lives in Delphi in spring and summer. When autumn comes, the flowers wither and the leaves on the trees turn yellow, when the already cold winter is approaching, covering the summit of Parnassus with snow, then Apollo, in his chariot drawn by snow-white swans, is carried away to the land of the Hyperboreans that does not know winter, to the land of eternal spring. He lives there all winter. When everything in Delphi turns green again, when flowers bloom under the living breath of spring and cover the Chris valley with a colorful carpet, the golden-haired Apollo returns to Delphi on his swans to divine the will of the thunderer Zeus. Then, in Delphi, they celebrate the return of the soothsayer Apollo from the country of the Hyperboreans. All spring and summer he lives in Delphi, he visits his homeland of Delos, where he also has a magnificent sanctuary.

Apollo and the Muses

In spring and summer, on the slopes of the wooded Helikon, where the sacred waters of the spring of Hippocrene mysteriously murmur, and on high Parnassus, near the clear waters of the Kastalsky spring, Apollo leads a round dance with nine muses. Young, beautiful muses, daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne (Goddess of memory), are constant companions of Apollo. He leads the choir of the muses and accompanies their singing by playing on his golden cithara. Apollo walks majestically in front of the chorus of muses, crowned with a laurel wreath, followed by all nine muses: Calliope is the muse of epic poetry, Euterpe is the muse of lyrics, Erato is the muse of love songs, Melpomene is the muse of tragedy, Thalia is the muse of comedy, Terpsichore is the muse of dances, Clea is the muse of history, Urania is the muse of astronomy, and Polyhymnia is the muse of sacred hymns. Their choir solemnly thunders, and all nature, as if enchanted, listens to their divine singing. (The myth of Apollo and the muses)
When Apollo, accompanied by the muses, appears in the host of the gods on bright Olympus and the sounds of his cithara and the singing of the muses are heard, then everything on Olympus falls silent. Ares forgets about the noise of bloody battles, lightning does not flash in the hands of the cloud-exterminator Zeus, the gods forget strife, peace and silence reign on Olympus. Even the eagle of Zeus lowers its mighty wings and closes its keen eyes, one cannot hear his formidable scream, he quietly slumbers on the rod of Zeus. In complete silence, the strings of Apollo's cithara sound solemnly. When Apollo gaily strikes the golden strings of the cithara, then a light, shining round dance moves in the banquet hall of the gods. The muses, the charites, the eternally young Aphrodite, Ares and Hermes - all participate in a merry round dance, and in front of everyone is the majestic maiden, the sister of Apollo, the beautiful Artemis. Flooded with streams of golden light, young gods dance to the sound of Apollo's cithara. (The myth of Apollo and the muses)

Sons of Aloe

The distant Apollo is formidable in his anger, and then his golden arrows do not know mercy. Many were amazed by them. They killed the sons of Aloe, Ot and Ephialt, proud of their strength, who did not want to obey anyone. Already in early childhood, they were famous for their enormous growth, their strength and courage that knows no obstacles. While still young men, they began to threaten the Olympian gods Ot and Ephialtes:
“Oh, just let us mature, just let us reach the full measure of our supernatural power. We will then heap the mountains Olympus, Pelion and Ossa (the greatest mountains in Greece on the coast of the Aegean Sea, in Thessaly), one on top of the other, and climb them to heaven. We will then kidnap you, Olympians, Hera and Artemis.
So, like the titans, the rebellious sons of Aloeus threatened the Olympians. They would fulfill their threat. After all, they chained the formidable god of war Ares, for thirty months he languished in a copper dungeon. Ares, insatiable with abuse, would have languished in captivity for a long time if it had not been for the quick Hermes who had kidnapped him, deprived of his strength. Ot and Ephialt were powerful. Apollo did not demolish their threats. The far-striking god drew his silver bow; like sparks of flame, his golden arrows flashed in the air, and Oth and Ephialtes, pierced by the arrows, fell.

Marsyas

Apollo and the Phrygian satyr Marsyas severely punished because Marsyas dared to compete with him in music. Kifared (That is, playing the kifar) Apollo did not bear such impudence. One day, wandering through the fields of Phrygia, Marsyas found a reed flute. She was abandoned by the goddess Athena, noticing that playing the flute she had invented disfigured her divinely beautiful face. Athena cursed her invention and said:
- Let the one who picks up this flute be severely punished.
Knowing nothing about what Athena said, Marsyas raised the flute and soon learned to play it so well that everyone listened to this simple music. Marsyas became proud and challenged the patron saint of Apollo's music to a competition.
Apollo came to the call in a long, magnificent robe, in a laurel wreath and with a golden cithara in his hands.
How insignificant the inhabitant of the forests and fields Marsyas with his pitiful reed flute seemed to the majestic, beautiful Apollo! How could he have made such wonderful sounds from the flute that flew from the golden strings of the cithara of the leader of the muses Apollo! Apollo won. Enraged by the challenge, he ordered to hang the unfortunate Marsyas by the arms and to strip off his living skin. So Marsyas paid for his courage. And the skin of Marsyas was hung in the grotto of Kelen in Phrygia and they told later that she always began to move, as if she danced when the sounds of the Phrygian reed flute reached the grotto, and remained motionless when the majestic sounds of cithara were heard.

Asclepius (Aesculapius)

But not only is Apollo an avenger, not only does he send death with his golden arrows; he cures diseases. Asclepius, the son of Apollo, is the god of doctors and medical arts. The wise centaur Chiron raised Asclepius on the slopes of Pelion. Under his leadership, Asclepius became such a skilled physician that he surpassed even his teacher Chiron. Asclepius not only healed all diseases, but even brought the dead back to life. With this, he angered the ruler of the kingdom of the dead, Hades and the thunderer Zeus, as he violated the law and order established by Zeus on earth. Angry Zeus threw his lightning bolt and struck Asclepius. But people deified the son of Apollo as a god-healer. They erected many sanctuaries for him, among them the famous sanctuary of Asclepius at Epidaurus.
Apollo was honored throughout Greece. The Greeks revered him as a god of light, a god who cleans a person from the filth of shed blood, as a god who divines the will of his father Zeus, punishes, sends diseases and heals them. He was revered by the Greek youth as their patron. Apollo is the patron saint of navigation, he helps the founding of new colonies and cities. Artists, poets, singers and musicians are under the special patronage of the leader of the muses' choir, Apollo Kifared. Apollo is equal to Zeus the Thunderer himself in the worship that the Greeks gave him.

Ancient Greek mythology is rich in curious characters. In addition to the gods and their offspring, legends describe the fate of ordinary mortals and those whose lives were associated with divine creatures.

Origin story

According to legend, Daphne is a mountain nymph, born in the union of the earth goddess Gaia and the river god Peneus. In Metamorphoses, she explains that Daphne was born to the nymph Creusa after a romantic affair with Peneus.

This author adhered to the myth that he fell in love with a lovely girl, being pierced by the arrow of Eros. The beauty did not reciprocate to him, since the other end of the arrow made her indifferent to love. Hiding from the persecution of God, Daphne turned to her parent for help, who turned her into a laurel tree.

According to another writer, Pausanias, the daughter of Gaia and the god of the rivers Ladon, was transferred by her mother to the island of Crete, and a laurel appeared in the place where she was. Tormented by unrequited love, Apollo weaved himself a wreath of tree branches.

Greek mythology is famous for its variability of interpretations, so modern readers also know the third myth, according to which Apollo and Leucippus, the son of the ruler of Aenomai, were in love with a girl. The prince, disguised as a woman's dress, pursued the girl. Apollo enchanted him, and the young man went to swim with the girls. The prince was killed for deceiving the nymphs.

Due to the fact that Daphne is associated with a plant, her independent fate in mythology is limited. It is not known whether the girl later became human. In most references, she is associated with an attribute that accompanies Apollo everywhere. The origin of the name is rooted in the depths of history. From Hebrew the meaning of the name was translated as "laurel".

The myth of Apollo and Daphne

Patron of arts, music and poetry, Apollo was the son of the goddess Latona and. Jealous, the Thunderer's wife did not give the woman the opportunity to find refuge. sent after her a dragon named Python, who chased Latona until she settled on Delos. It was a rugged, uninhabited island that blossomed with the birth of Apollo and his sister. Plants appeared on the deserted shores and around the rocks, the island was lit up with sunlight.

Armed with a silver bow, the young man decided to take revenge on Python, who haunted his mother. He flew across the sky to the gloomy gorge where the dragon was located. The furious, terrible beast was about to devour Apollo, but the god struck him with arrows. The young man buried his rival and erected an oracle and a temple at the burial site. According to legend, today Delphi is located at this place.

Not far from the place of the battle flew the prankster Eros. The mischievous man played with golden arrows. One end of the arrow was decorated with a gold tip, and the other with a lead one. While bragging about his victory to the bully, Apollo evoked the wrath of Eros. The little boy shot an arrow into the heart of God, whose golden tip evoked love. The second arrow with a stone tip hit the heart of the lovely nymph Daphne, depriving her of the ability to fall in love.

Seeing a beautiful girl, Apollo loved her with all his heart. Daphne went on the run. God pursued her for a long time, but could not catch up. When Apollo came close, so that she began to feel his breath, Daphne prayed to her father for help. To save his daughter from torment, Peny turned her body into a laurel tree, her hands into branches, and her hair into foliage.

Seeing what his love led to, the inconsolable Apollo hugged the tree for a long time. He decided that a laurel wreath would always accompany him in memory of his beloved.

In culture

Daphne and Apollo is a myth that has inspired artists of different centuries. He is one of the popular legends of the Hellenistic era. In ancient times, the plot found an image in sculptures describing the moment of the girl's transformation. There were mosaics that confirmed the popularity of the myth. Later painters and sculptors were guided by the presentation of Ovid.

During the Renaissance, great attention was again paid to antiquity. In the 15th century, the popular myth of a god and a nymph found a response in the paintings of the painters Pollaiolo, Bernini, Tiepolo, Brueghel, etc. A sculpture by Bernini in 1625 was housed in the Borghese's cardinal residence.

In literature, the images of Apollo and Daphne are repeatedly mentioned thanks to. In the 16th century, the works "Princess" by Sachs and "D." authorship of Bekkari, based on mythological motives. In the 16th century, Rinuccini's play Daphne was set to music and, like Opitz and, became an opera libretto. Inspired by the story of non-reciprocal love, musical works were written by Schutz, Scarlatti, Handel, Fuchs, etc.

Daphne, Greek ("Laurel") - the daughter of the river god Peney or Ladon, one of the most beautiful nymphs.

He fell in love with Daphne, but not because of her beauty, but as a result of a malicious joke of Eros. Apollo had the imprudence to laugh at the golden bow of the god of love, and Eros decided to demonstrate to him the effectiveness of his weapon. At Apollo, he shot an arrow that evokes love, and at Daphne, who happened to be nearby, an arrow that kills love. Therefore, the love of the most beautiful of the gods did not find reciprocity. Pursued by God, Daphne began to beg her father to change her appearance, she was ready to die rather than become the beloved of Apollo. Daphne's wish came true: her body was covered with bark, her arms turned into branches, her hair into foliage. She turned into an evergreen laurel tree, while Apollo, in memory of his first love, began to wear a decoration in the form of a laurel wreath.

Apparently, the first poetic story about the tragic fate of Daphne belongs to Ovid (the first book "Metamorphoses"). He inspired Bernini to create the famous sculptural group Apollo and Daphne (1622-1624), as well as Pollaiolo, Poussin, Veronese and many other artists - the authors of the paintings of the same name. Perhaps the very first of all the operas, written by J. Peri on the text of the poet O. Rinuccini in 1592, was called "Daphne". A number of further musical incarnations of this plot (Galliano - 1608, Schütz - 1627, Handel - 1708) so far closes the opera "Daphne" by R. Strauss (1937).

As tradition testifies, the myth of Daphne existed long before Ovid (although, perhaps, in a slightly different version). At the place where, according to legend, Daphne turned into a tree, the temple of Apollo was built, which in 395 AD. e. was destroyed by order of the emperor Theodosius I, the enemy of paganism. Since the local laurel grove continued to be visited by pilgrims, in the 5-6 centuries. n. e. there was founded a monastery with a temple of the Virgin Mary; the mosaic decorations of the temple, created in the 11th century, are one of the peaks of the "second golden age" of Byzantine art. This temple stands to this day in a green laurel grove ten kilometers west of Athens and is called "Daphni".

Many mythical characters of antiquity were reflected in works of art - paintings, sculptures, frescoes. Apollo and Daphne are no exception, they are depicted in many paintings, and the great sculptor Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini even created a sculpture that is famous all over the world. The story of an unrequited god in love is striking in its tragedy and remains relevant to this day.

The Legend of Apollo and Daphne

Apollo was the god of art, music and poetry. According to legend, once he angered the young god Eros, for which he shot an arrow of love at him. And the second arrow - antipathies - was shot by Eros in the heart of the nymph Daphne, who was the daughter of the river god Peneus. And when Apollo saw Daphne, at first glance, love for this young and beautiful girl was kindled in him. He fell in love and could not take his eyes off her extraordinary beauty.

Struck in the heart by the arrow of Eros, Daphne at first glance felt fear and inflamed with hatred for Apollo. Not sharing his feelings, she ran away. But the faster Daphne tried to escape from the pursuer, the more persistent Apollo was in love. At that moment, when he almost overtook his beloved, the girl prayed, turning to her father and asking for help. The moment she cried out in despair, her legs began to stiffen, rooted to the ground, her arms turned into branches, and her hair became the leaves of a laurel tree. Disappointed Apollo could not come to his senses for a long time, trying to accept the inevitable.

History embodied in art

Apollo and Daphne, whose story is striking in despair and tragedy, inspired many great artists, poets, sculptors throughout history. Artists tried to depict running on their canvases, sculptors tried to convey the power of love and the awareness of the young god Apollo's own powerlessness.

A famous work that reliably reflects the tragedy of this story was the painting by A. Pollaiolo, who in 1470 painted a picture of the same name "Apollo and Daphne". Today it hangs in the London National Gallery, drawing the eyes of visitors with the realism of the characters depicted. Relief is read on the girl's face, while Apollo is saddened and annoyed.

A prominent representative of the Rococo style, Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, even depicted the girl's father in his painting Apollo and Daphne, who helps her avoid her pursuer. However, despair is read on his face, because the price of such deliverance is too high - his daughter will no longer be among the living.

But the most successful piece of art based on the myth can be considered a sculpture by Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini "Apollo and Daphne". Its description and history deserve special attention.

Sculpture by Giovanni Bernini

The great Italian sculptor and architect is deservedly considered a genius of the Baroque, his sculptures live and breathe. One of the greatest achievements of G. Bernini, "Apollo and Daphne", is the early work of the sculptor, when he was still working under the auspices of Cardinal Borghese. He created it in the years 1622-1625.

Bernini managed to convey the moment of despair and the way Apollo and Daphne move. The sculpture fascinates with its realism, the runners are in a single rush. Only in the young man is the desire to take possession of the girl visible, and she seeks to slip out of his hands at any cost. The sculpture is made of Carrara marble, its height is 2.43 m. The talent and dedication of Giovanni Bernini allowed him to complete a masterpiece of art in a relatively short time. Today the sculpture is in the Borghese Gallery, Rome.

The history of the creation of sculpture

Like many other sculptures, the statue of Apollo and Daphne by Giovanni Bernini was commissioned by the Italian cardinal Borghese. The sculptor began work on it in 1622, but he had to interrupt for a more urgent assignment from the cardinal. Leaving the statue unfinished, Bernini set to work on David, and then returned to the interrupted work. The statue was completed 3 years later, in 1625.

To justify the presence in the cardinal's collection of a sculpture with a pagan bias, a couplet was invented, describing the morality of the depicted scene between the characters. Its meaning was that the one who runs after the ghostly beauty will be left with only branches and leaves in their hands. Today, a sculpture depicting the final scene of a short-term relationship between Apollo and Daphne stands in the middle of one of the gallery rooms and is its thematic center.

Features of the created masterpiece

Many visitors to the Borghese Gallery in Rome note that the sculpture causes an ambiguous attitude towards itself. You can look at it many times, and each time you find something new in the features of the depicted gods, in their frozen movement, in the general concept.

Depending on the mood, some see love and a willingness to give everything for the opportunity to possess a beloved girl, others note what relief is depicted in the eyes of a young nymph when her body turns into a tree.

The perception of sculpture also changes depending on the perspective from which it is viewed. No wonder they put it in the center of the gallery hall. This enables each visitor to find their own point of view and form their own vision of the great masterpiece.