Apollo and Daphne
1812 - 1813. Grey-brown wash, Pencil, Pencil on laid paper.Not on display
This drawing, based on the account in Ovid’s Metamorphoses, shows Apollo attempting to catch Daphne, who begs to be turned into a laurel in order to escape her pursuer. Peneus, her father, is visible in the background surrounded by nymphs, while Cupid – in full flight – points down at the scene. Madrazo set down the outlines in pen and wash, then reworked them in charcoal; the resulting pictorial effect suggests that this may have been a preparatory drawing for a painting.
