Daphne Chased by Apollo, Statue in the Tuileries Garden, 1st arrondissement, Paris, France

Nicolas Coustou's sculpture depicts Apollo chasing Daphne and stands south of the rectangular basin in the Tuileries Garden in Paris. The stone work captures an ancient mythological scene with expressive figures and detailed carving.

Nicolas Coustou carved this marble group in 1714 for the Château de Marly, the royal retreat built for Louis XIV. During the Revolution the Marly estate was dismantled and its sculptures dispersed; the group reached the Tuileries in 1797. The marble was later moved indoors to the Louvre, and a cast took its place in the garden.

The group is carved from a single block: Apollo, laurel-crowned and reaching forward, grasps Daphne as her fingers sprout leaves and her feet take root. The myth of Daphne turning into a laurel to escape him gave the tree its link to Apollo, and the god's crown of laurel is the detail to look for.

The statue stands on the Terrasse du Bord de l'Eau, south of the rectangular basin, facing the Louvre. Enter through the Place de la Concorde or the Rue de Rivoli gates; the ground is gravel and level, with benches nearby. The garden is busiest on weekend afternoons, so mornings are easier for close viewing.

What visitors see today is a cast of the original marble work, which has been preserved in the Louvre Museum since 1940. The original was moved indoors for protection, while the carefully made copy remains in the garden.