The Louvre Museum, Richelieu wing, 2d floor, room 14
Oil on canvas, 155 x 200 cm
Below are details of the painting :
Bellori‘s description of the work:
“Apollo’s love came from a quarrel with Cupid, which of them would win in the use of the bow? Apollo is seated and, already hit by love, gazes fondly at Daphne who rests in front of him, beside a cave, and embraces the river Peneus, her father. Cupid, meanwhile, aims a leaden arrow at her so that she will not love him and will flee from him. The painter playfully depicted the astute Mercury behind Apollo, dexterously drawing and stealing from his quiver a golden arrow; and the blond God doesn’t notice, in love of this young beauty. Interposed between them are some nymphs lying nude on the bank of the water, one is squeezing her wet hair. This composition lack the final brush strokes, because of the weakness and tremor of his hand; and Nicolas, not long before his death, dedicated it to the Cardinal Massimo, realizing that he would not be able to bring it to a better state of completion, while it is otherwise very perfect.”