Apollo And Daphne

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Formal Analysis of Apollo and Daphne Breathtaking in its beauty and complexity, one can hardly believe that Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s sculpture Apollo and Daphne is carved out of marble and is not, in fact, the actual Apollo and Daphne turned into stone at the exact moment when Daphne begins to turn into a tree. This sculpture was created in the 17th century and is housed in the Galleria Borgehese in Rome. The sculpture is composed of two figures in the midst of movement so rapid it seems as though they are about to take flight. Apollo, the male figure, is reaching for Daphne, the female figure right as it seems she is turning into a tree. Her outstretched fingers have sprouted leaves and branches, and her lower body is being encased with tree…show more content…
The curved lines from the drapery, the hair, and the shapes of the figures’ themselves swirl into the air in motion. The sense of movement is palpable based on the curves of lines such as those from Daphne’s body curving parallel to Apollo’s or stretching from Daphne’s outstretched hand to Apollo’s flying behind him. Also contributing to the movement of this sculpture is the fact the entire sculpture is based on a single diagonal line. When the sculpture is viewed in profile, it can be seen that the entire piece is tilted forward; this creates a sense of rushing forward, and further emphasizes the rapid flight of the…show more content…
There is a clear distinction between the lifeless bark beginning to encase Daphne’s legs and her soft flesh. Apollo’s hand pressing into Daphne’s stomach further realizes this difference in texture. The drapery has a flowing texture, almost like water, and looks almost like it has been made of a different material than Apollo’s body or the incredibly delicate leaves of the tree. The figures are clearly moving through space in rapid flight, as is again shown in the windblown texture of the curls of both figures’ hair and the drapery flying behind them. Muscles are clearly and realistically portrayed under the skin as the forms twist in motion. Each part of the sculpture has been carved with precision and careful attention to detail of

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