Borghese Galleria--best place to see in Rome!

Chris and I love the Borghese Gallery.  It is by far the most awesome place to see paintings, statues and other works of art.  The Galleria Borghese houses a substantial part of the Borghese family collection of painntings, sculture and antiquities, begun by Cardinal Scipione Borghese, the nephew of Pope Paul V (1605-1621).  Below is the statue of the Rape of Persephone (or Proserpina) by Hades. We were amazed at the ability of Bernini to sculpt creations like this out of one block of marble and make the skin look so lifelike.

Between 1622 and 1625, Gian Lorenzo Bernini sculpted a marble life sized figure entitled Apollo and Daphne. Apollo clutches Daphne’s hip pursuing her as she flees trying to escape him. Apollo desperate and longing wears a laurel crown foreshadowing Daphne’s metamorphosis into the laurel tree. Daphne is portrayed halfway through her metamorphosis into the laurel tree with her arms already transforming into its branches as she flees and calls to her Father to save her from Apollo.(from Wiki)

Below is the statue of Apollo and Daphne. 

Below is the figure of Napolean's sister who was married to Camillo Borghese. The bed she lays on looks like it would be soft to the touch but of course it is all in marble.