Gian Lorenzo Bernini's Apollo and Daphne, 1622-1625, on the other hand takes us through Bernini's love philosophy. The story of Daphne, the nymph goddess, receiving a love-denying arrow from a Cupid and Apollo pursuing her with Cupids love arrow, has the water nymph not wanting to marry and Apollo so madly in love with her, he tried to charm her with anything he could but failed in his pursuit. Daphne prays to her father, a river god, to turn her wooden, into a forest tree, her feet soaked into the roots of the earth to deny Apollo's advances. Apollo still loves her as a tree. The sculpture by Bernini is exquisite. Love is the very foundation here. The youthful Bernini is describing love in the garden. Her earth roots are the tree, so Daphne takes you to Heaven with the leaf tips, reflecting the star patterns of the heart.
