Joan of Arc listening to the voices

Localisation : The Rotunda / The Gallery of Painting
Année de création :1873
Artiste : Henri Chapu

Description

A heroine that was rediscovered with the nationalist exaltation of the 19th century, Joan of Arc was the subject of numerous works at that time, most often in armour. Here Henri Chapu decided to show her when she had her calling, upon hearing the voices that incited her to fight for King Charles VII to take back his kingdom, which had been considerably reduced by English claims. He sculpted her in the figure of a shepherdess, rendering her fervent expression, combining surprise and determination. The original of this marble sculpture, based on an 1870 sculpture in plaster, was presented at the 1872 Salon (Orsay Museum). It has been the subject of a considerable number of copies. This work greatly contributed to Chapu’s renown. He became president of the Académie des Beaux-Arts in 1889.