A Title Borrowed from Michelangelo: Genius of Eternal Repose

Genius of Eternal Repose is a sculpture Rodin made in honor of the painter Pierre Puvis de Chavannes.

The figure holds an extremely precarious pose, as though about to fall backward. It was originally conceived without a head or arms, and in fact Rodin only ever completed it to that point — the head and arms were added later by a different sculptor.

The title draws on a line attributed to Michelangelo: "Genius is eternal patience." Here again, the influence of the Renaissance master makes itself felt.