Charles Vital-Cornu (1851-1927)

Vital Cornu The Awakening of Genius bronze sculpture represents the allegory of the birth of creative power. The contrast between the upward movement of the winged genius and the figure lying below emphasizes the awakening of consciousness and the liberation of the spirit. The powerful verticality of the composition and the tense postures create an elevated, idealizing effect. The work is a characteristic, spectacular example of 19th-century academic allegorical sculpture.