Apollo and Daphne

The Borghese Gallery in Rome had many magnificent scupltures but NONE more breathtaking than this by Gianlorenzo Bernini.  The story goes that Daphne had shot Apollo with an arrow that made him stupid. She wished to rid herself of him and her father set about to turn Daphne into a tree. Okay... sounds pretty crazy... but this is what is seen here. Daphne is starting to become a tree.... bark beginning to cover the front of her body, tree limbs/leaves sprouting from her fingers. Daddy had a strange way of helping!

The delicate details Bernini achieves in this marble are indeed remarkable... leaves almost translucent  where light can be seen through them.

 WOW... just  wow!!!