Apolloand Daphne (1908), by J.W. Waterhouse Yet anotherexample where a nymph transforms into a tree
Apolloand Daphne (1908), by J.W. Waterhouse Yet anotherexample where a nymph transforms into a tree (see also Phyllis and Demophoön, 1905). Here Daphne is fleeing from Apollo’s advances because shedecided to remain a virgin. To help her,she is turned into a laurel tree by her father, the river-god Peneus who isrepresented by the river in the background. Apollo continued to admire the laurel tree and used his eternal youth toprevent the leaves from withering.The work isclearly inspired by the marble statue of Bernini from Galleria Borghese inRome. Waterhouse never managed to sell thispainting and that is probably also because the art critics reviewed it in avery negative way. They criticized inparticular the feeble representation of Apollo. -- source link
#painting#symbolism#pre-raphaelite#ovidius#apollo#daphne#peneus#transformation#metamorphoses#virgin#greek mythology#laurel#galleria borghese