FREE ESSAY ON JOAN OF ARC BY JULES BASTIEN LE PAGE

JOAN OF ARC BY JULES BASTIEN LE PAGE

"Joan of Arc," was painted by the French realist artist Jules Bastien-Lepage in 1879.
"After the province of Lorraine was lost to Germany following the Franco-Prussian War in
1821, The Frenchmen saw in Joan of Arc a new and powerful symbol. In 1875,
Bastien-Lepage, a native of Lorraine began to make studies for a picture of her. In the
present painting, exhibited in the Salon of 1880, Joan is shown receiving her revelation
in her parents garden. Behind her are Saints Michael, Margaret, and Catherine. (Caption
next to painting in The Metropolitan)" 
Jules Bastien-Lepage creates a realistic atmosphere, including a supernatural,
religious-like presence within his painting. Oil on canvas was used to create the
realistic quality of the work. By closely examining the artist's technique, it is clear
that he uses delicate brush strokes in a true to life manner. The colors, and use of
light seem to be painted in a layered fashion to give the landscape a sense of depth. The
background of the painting is a garden which include foliage and brush that surrounds the
primary focus of the painting, Joan of Arc. The artist put a great effort into the
details of the scene. Bastien-Lepage uses a distinct realistic quality in his painting
which is visible in each individual leaf and branch. Various hues of earth tones, green
and brown being the most evident, are blended together in the garden scene. 
In the foreground of the painting is Joan of Arc. She is painted with a seemingly thicker
paint technique. This makes her a more easily visible aspect in the painting, and catches
the onlookers eye. Joan is dressed in a long brown skirt and blue-gray shirt with white
underneath which is the typical clothing style of the 19th century. The clothing is
painted to show its wear and tear. Her features and her figure are quite realistic. She
seems to have a calm, but troubled expression on her face, as though she is deep in
thought. Overall she is painted in a very detailed manner. 
A less visible, yet still present and important aspect of the painting are the three
figures positioned behind Joan, and in front of the house. The figures are somewhat
transparent, and ghostly. Their presence adds a spiritual and or religious feeling to the
scene. These three figures presence blends into the scenery. Al three have halos above
their heads, and serene looks on their faces.
The saint on the right is dressed in what looks to be armor. He looks brave, and as if he
is standing guard or going into battle. The middle saint is a praying angel. She is in a
dress with a gauzy, white presence around her. This whiteness gives her an ethereal
quality which Bastien-Lepage has painted quite effectively, and adds to the spiritual
feeling of the scene. Her presence in the painting seems to represent chastity and
virtue. The last figure looks like a young girl or child, who is kneeling with her face
hidden in her hands almost as if she is upset. Perhaps Bastien-Lepage painted these three
saints not only to illustrate Joan receiving her visions, but to illustrate the bravery,
religious yet childlike figure that she was. 
Behind Joan of Arc, in the background of the picture is a house. Bastien-Lepage painted
the house so that the masonry is visible. The house seems to be small in size, plain, and
quaint. Surrounding the house is shrubbery, trees, and more of the garden which is seen
throughout the painting. 
This painting of Joan of Arc is very significant. Bastien-Lepage is able to effectively
depict Joan as the true heroine that she was. This is significant because at the time
there were not so many women heroines like her. 
Bibliography
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