Sébastien-Melchior Cornu: Bridging Faith and Form in Late Romantic France Sébastien-Melchior Cornu (6 January 1804 – 23 October 1870) stands as a pivotal figure within the artistic landscape of mid-nineteenth century France, primarily recognized for his prolific output of religious paintings—a genre deeply intertwined with the spiritual fervor and moral anxieties of the era. Yet, dismissing him solely as a devotional artist would diminish the breadth of his talent and intellectual engagement; Cornu’s oeuvre reflects a sophisticated understanding of classical aesthetics alongside an unwaverin…