 It was designed by Teodor Rygier, a little-known sculptor at the time, who won the third and final competition for this project "by popular demand" ahead of over 60 artists in total, the renowned painter Jan Matejko included.Even though the first prize was awarded to famed Cyprian Godebski, professor at the Imperial Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg from Paris, with Rygier at a close second, for the final execution a more popular design by Rygier was accepted with a contract signed in November 1889.At the poet's feet are four allegoric groups symbolising the Motherland (from the face of the monument along "Sienna" Street), Science (facing north), Courage (facing Sukiennice Hall) and Poetry (facing Church of St. Wojciech, south).