APOLLO AND DAPHNE | 1622-1625 | by GIAN LORENZO BERNINI
GIAN LORENZO BERNINI's "APOLLO and DAPHNE" sculpture is a masterpiece of the Baroque era that captures the dramatic moment of transformation from DAPHNE into a laurel tree.
The life-sized marble sculpture depicts the climactic scene from OVID'S Metamorphoses, where the god APOLLO pursues the nymph DAPHNE, who pleads to her father, the river god, to transform her to escape APOLLO'S advances. BERNINI'S technical virtuosity is on full display as he masterfully renders the transition from DAPHNE'S human form to the emerging laurel leaves and branches
The sculpture's dynamic composition and sense of movement create a cinematic effect, as if the viewer is witnessing the metamorphosis unfold before their eyes. BERNINI'S use of twisting, undulating forms, and the contrast between the smooth, sensual flesh of DAPHNE and the rougher textured bark of the tree heighten the drama and emotional intensity of the scene
The work's innovative narrative approach and BERNINI'S mastery of the medium have cemented "APOLLO AND DAPHNE" as one of the most celebrated and influential sculptures of the BAROQUE period. Its enduring impact can be seen in the way it has inspired and influenced generations of artists, solidifying BERNINI'S reputation as a true master of the sculptural form.
The Chapel of the Madonna della Providenza at San Giuseppe dei Teatini in Palermo, Sicily sits above a natural spring. The water from the spring is said to be "a gift from the Mother of Providence to her Palermo children," and it is credited with healing "all infirmities."
The spring was discovered during excavations under the chapel on January 7th, 1668, and by January 15th the Theatine fathers had completed sufficient infrastructure to begin welcoming thousands of pilgrims to the church. No one can monetize a leaky basement better than a group of Catholic priests. This was 200 years before a similar flow of miraculous water bubbled up in Lourdes, France.
This Ecstasy of Saint Teresa (Italian: L'Estasi di Santa Teresa or Santa Teresa in estasi) is a famous sculpture by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, a master of the Baroque style, made between 1647 and 1652. It was commissioned by Cardinal Federico Cornaro, a member of the influential Cornaro family, who wanted to glorify his family name and patron saint. It depicts a scene from the life of Saint Teresa of Ávila, a Spanish nun and mystic, who experienced a vision of an angel piercing her heart with a golden arrow, causing her both pain and joy. The sculpture is located in the Cornaro Chapel of the Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria in Rome and is considered by many as one of the most expressive and dramatic works of art in the history of Western civilization.
The Reiner Winkler Collection, Liebieghaus Sculpture Museum, Frankfurt, Germany
In Roman mythology, the Parcae were the female personifications of Destiny. They are often called the Fates in English. Their Greek equivalents were the Moirai. They controlled the "thread of life" of every mortal and immortal. Even the gods feared the Parcae.
Nona spun the thread of life on her spindle, Decima measured the thread of life, and Morta cut the thread of life and chose the way a person would die.