Artwork
Apollo and Daphne
Apollo and Daphne is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist John Singer Sargent. It dates from 1918 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Sargent renders Apollo in the act of reaching toward Daphne, whose body begins to transform into a laurel tree, emphasizing themes of desire and metamorphosis.
The painting presents the moment of Apollo’s chase of the nymph Daphne, a scene drawn from classical mythology. Sargent renders Apollo in the act of reaching toward Daphne, whose body begins to transform into a laurel tree, emphasizing themes of desire and metamorphosis. Executed in oil on canvas in 1917, the work measures 82.55 × 73.34 cm and belongs to the mythological genre.
It entered the artist’s family collection through his sisters and was later gifted to the Corcoran Gallery of Art before being acquired by the National Gallery of Art in 2014. The composition reflects the enduring symbolic resonance of the Apollo‑Daphne narrative in Western art.
Technique & Style
Apollo and Daphne is an oil on canvas painting executed by John Singer Sargent in 1917. The work measures 82.55 cm in height by 73.34 cm in width, a relatively modest, upright format suited to the mythological subject. Sargent's handling reflects his mature painterly approach, with confident brushwork and a fluid treatment of the canvas support.
The mythological narrative is rendered in oil paint, allowing for rich tonal modulation and the characteristic bravura surface finish associated with his late style. The canvas support is consistent with traditional stretched painting construction of the period. The painting is classified as a mythological painting within the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., following its acquisition in 2014 from the Corcoran Gallery of Art.
History & Provenance
John Singer Sargent’s Apollo and Daphne was painted in 1917. The work remained in the artist’s possession until it passed to his sisters, Emily Sargent and Violet Sargent Ormond. In 1949 they gifted the painting to the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. The Corcoran held the work until 2014, when it was acquired by the National Gallery of Art in the same city.
Apollo and Daphne, an oil on canvas by John Singer Sargent dated 1917, remained in the possession of the artist's sisters, Emily Sargent and Violet Sargent Ormond, following his death. In 1949 the sisters gifted the painting to the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington. The work was subsequently acquired by the National Gallery of Art in 2014, where it is currently held.
Both institutions are listed as associated collections in the painting's records, and its present location is the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
Overview
This oil on canvas painting, Apollo and Daphne, was created by John Singer Sargent between approximately 1916 and 1919. It depicts a pivotal scene from Greek mythology. The artwork captures the dramatic moment of Daphne's transformation into a laurel tree as she attempts to evade the pursuing god Apollo. Sargent's rendition emphasizes the dynamic tension inherent in this ancient narrative.
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Artist & collection
Artist
John Singer Sargent (; January 12, 1856 – April 15, 1925) was an American expatriate artist, considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation" for his evocations of Belle Époque and Edwardian-era luxury.
