The Revelation Of Joan Of Arc Or The Spinner, Bronze With Gilt Patina, Signed Eugène Laurent, 19th Century

A superb bronze with a lovely golden patina depicting the Revelation of Joan of Arc at Domrémy.
This antique cast from the late 19th century bears the signature of Eugène Laurent (1832-1898) on the base. Joan of Arc is shown here full-length, leaning on a tree stump, her hands clasped on her thigh and her head inclined towards heaven, listening to the voices urging her to liberate France from English occupation.
At this time, she is still just a young peasant girl from the small Lorraine village of Domrémy. Her face, with its gentle, youthful expression, is framed by long, flowing hair. Joan is dressed in a bodice worn over a long gown that reaches her ankles.
A skein of wool lies between her bare feet, her spinning having been momentarily set aside, as she is completely absorbed by the divine message delivered to her.
There is a truly great deal of grace in this subject, which deals with the selflessness of a young girl who would become one of France's greatest heroines.
Weight of the bronze: 11.2 kg.

A student of Théodore Coinchon and Francisque Duret, Eugène Laurent won the prize for best head of expression at the École des Beaux-Arts in 1860. He debuted at the Salon des Artistes Français in 1861 and quickly acquired a solid reputation as a classical sculptor, bringing him fame. He is the creator of the Jacques Callot monument in Nancy and a statue of François Boucher at the Hôtel de Ville in Paris. Several of his works have been cast in bronze, including the Joan of Arc.