Famous names of Greek Mythology influenced many artists and played a big role in the emergence of new works.Undoubtedly one of the most magnifıcent of these works is Bernini's Apollo and Dahne.
This work, in which we saw the effects of moving,sad and influential fıgures of the Baroque era,was completed in 1625 thanks to Bernini and his assistant Giuliano Finelli.
The length of the statue on display at Galleria Borghese in Rome is 243 centimeters.Daphne's transformation into bay tree; the scene in which the leaves,branches and trunk of the tree blend harmoniously
with Daphne's body is carefully and thoroughly.The anxiety and fear on Daphne's face is extremely realistic.
The story that inspired the statue is as follows:
''Apollo is the god of the sun,light,poetry,music,arrow and prophecy.Daphne, on the other hand, is the daughter of the river god Peneus, a water nymph who has taken an oath of virginity.
One day,while Apollon wanders in the sky, he meets Cupid Eros,an archer like himself.
Eros is during that time interested in the bow and arrow he uses to make people fall in love.
Apollon, who recently killed a dragon and was arrogant for his victory, speaks words that belittles Eros. Eros decides to teach Apollon a lesson.
One day Apollon sees the beautiful nymph Daphne, wandering alone in the forest.She begins to watch the nymph, where even the goddesses envy their beauty.
At that moment, Eros prepares two arrows: she throws an arrow to Apollan and shoots her in the heart, making her fall in love with Daphne.The other arrow throws Daphne and closes her love doors forever.
Apollon approaches Daphne, but Daphne tries to escape quickly.Apollo runs after Daphne in despair.
Realizing that she can no longer escape, Daphne calls out to her father, Peneus: “Destroy the beauty that hurt me or change the body that ruined my life.''
(According to some sources,she says: "Mother Earth, protect me, protect me, protect me!")Her father responds to her pleading.
Daphne's body forms a scab; her hair to the leaves; their thin, delicate arms extend and turn into branches.
Determined to carry love in his heart, Apollon says the following words in honor of Daphne: “You won't be my bride, so you must be my bay tree.
My hair will be wreathed with you, you will be my arrows.
When the cheery voices applaud their victory, you will be with the Roman generals, Kapitol will testify to their long crowd.
You will be a loyal guardian in front of the door of Augustus, and will keep an eye on his crown made of oak.
And just like my head that always remains young with my uncut hair, you will wear the beauty of your undying leaves. ”
In many works of art depicting the victorious Roman monarchs today, we see the bay leaf crown.many Apollo statues also have bay tree crown
