Daphne

Harriet Goodhue Hosmer

1853, carved 1854 · Marble · The American Wing

In Greek mythology, Apollo’s first love was Daphne, a nymph who shunned marriage and vowed perpetual virginity. Fleeing the god, Daphne prayed for help and was transformed into a laurel tree just as he was about to overtake her. Rather than depicting the dramatic moment of escape, Hosmer modeled a serene image and symbolized Daphne’s metamorphosis by terminating the bust in laurel branches. The work is true to Hosmer’s Neoclassical training in Rome, where she was one of a number of active American women sculptors.

Artist

Harriet Goodhue Hosmer

Date

1853, carved 1854

Medium

Marble

Culture

American

Department

The American Wing

Credit line

Morris K. Jesup Fund, 1973