Joan of Arc (Jeanne d'Arc)
Painting on canvas • Jules Bastien-Lepage
Style & Movement
Naturalism (French Academic Naturalism)
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas, utilizing plein-air naturalism, precise academic draftsmanship, and a distinctive square-brush technique with matte textures.
Creation Period
1879
Dimensions & Format
Large scale landscape format; approximately 100 x 110 inches (254 x 279.4 cm).
Subject Description
The painting depicts the young French heroine Joan of Arc in her parents' garden in Domrémy. She is shown in a trance-like state, having just heard the voices of Saint Michael, Saint Catherine, and Saint Margaret, who appear as ethereal, shimmering apparitions behind her. The composition contrasts the gritty reality of peasant life with supernatural spiritualism.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Excellent/Very Good. The work is held in a major museum collection (Metropolitan Museum of Art), appearing well-preserved with stable paint film.
Estimated Market Value
$5,000,000 - $10,000,000+ (Institutional masterpiece status)
Auction Estimate
$4,000,000 - $8,000,000
Provenance History
Purchased by Erwin Davis in 1880 directly from the artist or through a dealer; gifted to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, in 1889.
Art Historical Significance
A defining masterpiece of the Naturalist movement, this painting represents the shift from Romantic idealism to a scientific, observational depiction of history. It influenced a generation of painters worldwide, including the Newlyn School and various American Impressionists.
Notable Features
Features the artist's signature and date ('J. BASTIEN-LEPAGE / DAMVILLERS / 1879') in the lower right; notable for the realistic depiction of Joan's dazed expression and the unique 'suspended' execution of the floating saints.
Condition Issues
Minor surface craquelure consistent with 19th-century oil paintings; some slight yellowing of old varnish may be present, though it has likely undergone professional conservation cleaning.
Conservation Recommendations
Maintain strictly controlled humidity (45-55% RH) and temperature; UV-filtered lighting; periodic assessment by a textile/painting conservator for canvas tension.