Apollo and Daphne

Completed in 1625, Apollo and Daphne is widely regarded as Gian Lorenzo Bernini's greatest sculptural masterpiece and one of the defining works of the Baroque period. Carved from a single block of marble, the sculpture captures the dramatic moment from Greek mythology when Daphne transforms into a laurel tree to escape Apollo's pursuit. Bernini's extraordinary ability to depict movement, flowing drapery, delicate leaves, and human emotion in stone creates the illusion that the figures are changing before the viewer's eyes. The work remains a celebrated example of technical brilliance, storytelling, and the expressive power of sculpture.