Seeing Double Assignment: Visual to Visual Adaptations

Name:
Instructor:
Course:
Date:
Apollo and Daphne
The sculpture referred to as the Apollo and Daphne was created approximately in the year 1625 by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. This is a figure that raises an estimated 243 centimeters and is made of stone/ marble. Located in Rome Italy, this is a figure that is inspired by Greek Mythology from the tale that is recounted in the Book 1 of Ovid’s Metamorphosis. This is a story that recounts the events surrounding Apollo who was a God of light and Poetry, where he is mocking Eros. In the end Apollo is seen to be struck with an arrow of gold that forces Apollo to love Daphne unconditionally (Artble). On the other hand Daphne is struck with an arrow of lead, which makes her hate Apollo. As such, while Apollo is busy trying to reach out to Daphne, she is not interested in him and the advances. She actually considers him as an enemy. It is from the advances that she reaches out to her father, Peneus the river god. Her father rescues her by turning her into a laurel tree. It is this aspect that Bernini captures in the statue. From the sculpture it is clear that, Apollo is trying to reach out to Daphne who is reaching out to her father. They are both in a race. Daphne is already showing signs of the metamorphosis as she changes into a Laurel tree. Her hair, arms and legs are showing signs of the transformation (Galleria Borghese). This is a transposition of the Greek myth that is captured in the sculpture to represent the story, characters and the themes of the Book 1 of the Ovid’s Metamorphosis. In the spirit of transposition, this paper addresses the composition of an image that is a combination of several images to come up with a different on which gives different meanings.
The image is a combination of two images, one of the images is that of Daphne. The image is on the right side of the combined image. The evidence of the fingers protruding as branches, even the hair is seen to turn into branches. The legs are turned into trunks. The rest of the body form is seen to remain, where the audience can tell that the stature of the tree is that of a woman. In the foreground is the image of a man that is seen to be reaching out and calling out. In a white polo t-shirt, wide open eyes and the mouth agape, the man is seen to be trying to get to the lady. He is also showing signs of surprise.
Looking at the new image is easy to interpret the original. Ideally, the two images have the images of a man and a woman; with the latter turning into a tree. Ideally, there is the element of stubbornness that is associated with the female in the image. She looks as if to be enjoying the freedom as she lets the tree form takes shape. It is as if she is surrendering to the force that has taken root within her. Unlike the original statue, in this image, it is clear that the woman in the image has advanced in her metamorphosis. In the statue, she is just forming into a tree within the first stages of the transformation (Galleria Borghese). In the combined image, it is clear that even her fingers, hair and arm have turned into branches. There are also some branches that are seen to be coming in the rest of the body. This is a rather transformative image, as it shows the audience what changes would...