Berlin is filled with incredible street art, but a one-piece mural on Prinzenstrasse holds a unique surprise. The Daphne and Apollo mural, a towering collaboration between artists Francisco Bosoletti and Young Jarus, retells an ancient Greek myth with a hidden twist.
I first stumbled upon this mural in 2020 during a pandemic walk following the canal. We all had our little pandemic walks, right? I took a shortcut to take the subway and saw this massive mural in the corner of my eye.
A little later, I started playing ping-pong at some tables around the mural, and my ritual of taking too many pictures of this mural on Prinzenstrasse began taking shape, as you can see in the photos here.
Can You Spot the Hidden Message in Berlin’s Famous Mural?
This mural on Prinzenstrasse is inspired by the story of Daphne and Apollo. It all begins with Eros, the god of love, who shoots Apollo with a golden arrow, making him fall hopelessly in love with Daphne. But Eros also shoots Daphne with a lead arrow, causing her to reject Apollo’s love forever.
When Apollo’s advances become too much, Daphne begs her father to transform her – and he turns her into a laurel tree. Heartbroken, Apollo makes the laurel tree sacred and wears a laurel wreath in her memory.
A Tale of Two Artists in a Mural on Prinzenstrasse
The Prinzenstrasse mural mesmerizes because of how Francisco Bosoletti and Young Jarus portray the characters. They painted Daphne negatively, while Jarus shows Apollo in a positive light. This inconsistent portrayal of unrequited love isn’t the only captivating thing about this piece.
Here’s where it gets really cool! To see the mural’s hidden secret, snap a photo with your phone or camera. Then, use the color-reversal function (or edit it later). Suddenly, Daphne’s image will appear naturally colored, subtly shifting the power dynamic of the artwork! Which I never saw before.
Now that you know everything about the artwork, let me introduce you to the artists. First, Young Jarus is a Canadian muralist who is celebrated for his photorealistic style, bringing characters and environments to life. Francisco Bosoletti, an Argentinian master of large-scale murals, is known for his poetic and expressive portrayals of figures.
Urban Nation: Bringing Art to Berlin’s Streets
The Daphne and Apollo mural is part of the Urban Nation Museum’s “One Wall” project. This project invites amazing street artists to transform Berlin’s buildings with large-scale artworks. Each “One Wall” carries a unique message and helps shape the city’s vibrant landscape.
When we visited the museum, we mentioned Urban Nation here. We also mentioned the One Wall project in Tegel, which has some of our favorite massive murals in Berlin.
Are you ready to find this hidden gem? Head to Prinzenstrasse and discover the captivating story of Daphne and Apollo.
Follow our map below, and don’t forget your camera to capture the artwork’s secret transformation!
Discover Berlin’s Hidden Street Art Treasure: The Daphne and Apollo Mural on Prinzenstrasse
Wassertorstraße 65, 10969 Berlin
