Apollo and Daphne (Bernini)

Galleria Borghese, Room III If one work justifies the whole Borghese booking, it is this. Bernini carved it in his early twenties, between 1622 and 1625, and caught the instant Daphne turns into a laurel tree: bark climbs her legs, leaves sprout from her fingers and Apollo's hand lands on a body that is no longer quite hers. Walk all the way around it, because the story unfolds as you move, and look closely at the leaves and her flying hair, which are astonishingly delicate for marble. Booking a timed slot in advance is mandatory, since the ticket office only sells places left over in a slot, and the gallery is closed on Mondays.