ABSTRACT
In this period, the sculpture class of the Academy of Antwerp was still one of the most popular options for aspiring sculptors in the country. In contrast to prior years, Joseph Geefs, who had attained the station of Academy director in 1876, no longer dominated sculpture education. The success of the Brussels Academy was confirmed by the victories of the Academy's students during several competitions. In 1881, the Prix Godecharle, a brand new contest specifically for sculpture, was introduced. Like the generations before them, most students used this scholarship to travel abroad and to study the classical examples in Rome or joined Belgian and foreign sculpture apprentices in a private studio. Julien Dillens was one of the Belgian sculptors who most explicitly voiced his ambitions to contribute to a national sculpture school. In addition to Dillens' personal aspirations, the case of his Florentine encounters illustrates the evolution of the Prix de Rome voyage throughout the century.
