Daphne

Artist: Renée Sintenis, German, 1888–1965
Caster: Bildgiesserei Hermann Noack, Berlin, Germany
Date: 1930
Material: Bronze
cast in: Berlin, Berlin state, Germany, Europe
Classification: Sculpture
Collection: Modern and Contemporary Art
Current Location: On View, Gallery 214
Dimensions: 56 3/8 × 12 1/4 × 10 5/8 in. (143.2 × 31.1 × 27 cm)
with base: 60 1/8 × 12 1/4 × 10 5/8 in. (152.7 × 31.1 × 27 cm)
Credit Line: Museum Purchase
Rights: © Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn
Object Number: 672:1949

NOTES

Renée Sintenis was a prominent sculptor in early 20th century Germany. In this mythological subject, she depicts Daphne changing into a tree. The nymph's hair turns to leaves while foliage appears around her legs and sprouts from her armpits. Daphne was pursued by the Greek god Apollo and was transformed into a tree in order to escape the god's unwanted advances. Sintenis affirmed, "I tried to capture the beginning of this magic transformation in plastic form."

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