Apollo pursuing Daphne- Apollo

myminifactory

The sculpture group of Daphne by Guillaume I Coustou and Apollo by Nicolas Coustou brings to life a pivotal scene from Ovid's Metamorphoses, where the nymph Daphne flees from the sun god, only to be transformed into a laurel tree in her desperation. Each statue was carefully positioned at the center of an ornamental pond in Marly's park around 1713-14, with their dynamic movement and interaction mirroring each other's actions. The sculpture group was later relocated to the Tuileries Gardens from 1798 to 1940. The artwork showcases a passage from Ovid's Metamorphoses, where Apollo is struck by Cupid's golden arrow, leading him to fall deeply in love with Daphne. However, when Cupid shoots an arrow of lead at her, she spurns his love and flees from the sun god, who pursues her relentlessly until she transforms into a laurel tree. The statues were among four running figures commissioned by King Louis XIV's administration for Marly's park, alongside Hippomenes by Guillaume I Coustou and Atalanta by Pierre Lepautre. Each statue was placed on a pedestal in the center of an ornamental pond around 1713-14, giving the illusion that they are leaping above the water. A watercolor drawing in Paris' Archives Nationales reveals how the sculptures were arranged to echo each other's movements and meet each other's eyes. The statues were later relocated to the Tuileries Gardens from 1798 to 1940 before being moved to the Louvre. They represent a significant shift in sculpture during Louis XIV's late reign, moving away from the grandeur of Versailles towards more naturalistic and dynamic works. The vigorous modeling and dynamic movement of these sculptures recall Bernini's masterful work on the same theme in 1625 at Villa Borghese in Rome. However, whereas Bernini captured the moment of transformation, the Coustou brothers chose to portray the intense speed of the chase. Apollo is depicted as being nearly knocked off balance, his body forming a diagonal with his outstretched arm and leg, while Daphne shows her fear, her expression dramatic and her body twisted in all directions. A tree trunk provides stability for the sculptures, demonstrating remarkable technical skill considering the fragility of marble. These statues embody the impetuousness of Roman Baroque without its dramatic strength, instead showcasing a slender elegance and vivacity that foreshadows the emergence of rocaille, a decorative style characteristic of early 18th-century France.