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The sculptor was regarded as too sensual by classicists and too cold by Romantics, but a more superficial look suggests what he was really up to, writes Brigid von Preussen
What is The Burlington Magazine? The Burlington Magazine is the world's leading monthly publication devoted to the fine and decorative arts. It publishes concise, well-written articles based on original research, presenting new works, art-historical discoveries and fresh interpretations. The
Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680), Apollo and Daphne, detail of upper portion, 1622-25, marble, 95 5/8 inches (2.43 meters) high, Galleria Borghese, Rome, detail. Photo source: Alvesgaspar / Wikimedia Commons. Don’t mess with Cupid. Apollo, the most handsome of the Greco-Roman gods, was the charioteer of the Sun, as well as the god of music, poetry, eloquence, art, medicine, prophecy, and archery. But Apollo made the mistake of dissing Cupid — and he paid an everlasting price. This article explores the Apollo and Daphne myth in examples of Renaissance, Baroque, and Rococo art, concluding w...
If you could live with just one work of art, what would it be? Very difficult question! I could pick up a different painting every day for the rest of my life... Today I would choose Whistlejacket (1762) by George Stubbs, one of my favourite paintings in the National Gallery in London. It is an unprecedented full-scale portrait of a rearing chestnut thoroughbred, represented with incredible realism against a plain background. It is like a painted equestrian monument celebrating a racehorse champion and the horse itself. It is an extremely modern image. The large format and its flat backgroun...