Oil on canvas, *Joan of Arc and the Archangel Saint Michael*, 19th century
Oil on canvas, *Joan of Arc and the Archangel Saint Michael*, 19th century
1.800,00 €
This composition, inspired by a work by Eugène Thirion exhibited at the 1876 Salon—
—
depicts Joan of Arc at the moment of her divine revelation.
Kneeling in the foreground, the young heroine pauses in her action and looks up with a gaze full of emotion and determination, while the Archangel Saint Michael, surrounded by angels, appears in a luminous cloud to entrust her with her mission.
Further information
| Weight | 1,800 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 21 × 31.5 cm |
Eugène Thirion (1839–1910)
was a French painter of the academic school, born and died in Paris. He studied under François-Édouard Picot, Alexandre Cabanel, and Eugène Fromentin/
He exhibited regularly at the Salon beginning in 1861.
In 1864, he won second prize at the Grand Prix deRome, an honor that launched his career.
A specialist in history painting, religious, mythological, and allegorical subjects,
Thirion received numerous official commissions during the Second Empire and later the Third Republic.
In particular, he contributed to the grand decorative works at the Opéra Garnier, Paris City Hall, and several public buildings, cementing his reputation as a monumental decorator.
*Joan of Arc Listening to the Voices* (1876) is undoubtedly his most famous work.
Thirion does not seek to idealize his heroine; he depicts her as a young peasant girl overcome by a mystical experience
Painted a few years after the defeat of 1870, this depiction also takes on a patriotic dimension. Joan of Arc becomes a symbol of national recovery, while retaining her religious significance.
Today, this monumental oil on canvas (225 × 163 cm) is housed in the Church of Notre-Dame de Chatou, while another version is housed at the Rouen Museum of Fine Arts.