The awakening process has received limited attention in comparison with other phases of the circadian cycle. Among its foci, Awakenings in Word and Image takes up persistent allusions to downward movement in such depictions. Despite the familiar phrase, “wake up,” intimations of downwardness or falling often appear in tandem with retrieval of a depicted subject's identity following sleep. Awakenings in Word and Image also makes clear that, while this process is body-based, such a designation is often applied to enhancements of consciousness, whether within an individual or across a culture. On the verbal side, material from Plato, the New Testament, Proust, and other sources is considered. Visual art discussed includes work by Italian frescoist Taddeo Zuccari and acclaimed New York painter Vincent Desiderio .