Who sculpted Apollo and Daphne?

• A. Donatello
• B. Michelangelo
• C. Bernini
• D. Rodin

Answer: (C)

The moment captured in this sculpture is the dramatic, emotional intensity that defines Baroque sculpture, where movement and storytelling come alive in marble. This work is by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, a master of turning a single instant into a vivid, cinematic scene. You can feel the chase as Apollo’s reaching arm contrasts with Daphne’s twisting body and the tree trunk that seems to sprout from her metamorphosis, all carved with incredible detail—from the grasp of fingers to the texture of bark and leaves. Bernini’s genius lies in making marble read with the softness of skin, the tension of motion, and the fleeting change from one form to another, a hallmark of his ability to fuse sculpture with theatrical drama. By contrast, Donatello represents early Renaissance ideals of calm, balanced forms; Michelangelo, while capable of powerful, dynamic figures, did not sculpt this scene; Rodin belongs to a later, modern tradition focused on psychological intensity and different textures. So, the sculptor who created Apollo and Daphne is Bernini, whose Baroque style brings the chase and transformation to life.