Jeanne au bûcher Statue

Sculpted in prayer, against a backdrop of flames, she stands. The Jeanne au bûcher Statue. This poignant artwork captures Joan of Arc’s final moments. The Jeanne au bûcher Statue isn’t the original. It’s one of five replicas of a 1928 statue. The original was a gift to Rouen, France, from the sculptor himself, Maxime Real del Sarte. This Montreal version, however, has its own unique journey. It began as a promised gift to US President Franklin D. Roosevelt. But fate intervened. With Roosevelt’s death in 1945, the statue found a new home. Monseigneur Maurault, rector of the Université de Montréal, accepted the gift in 1950. The statue became a symbol of Franco-Canadian friendship. It also reflected the university’s then-religious character. The Jeanne au bûcher Statue’s journey to Montreal was an odyssey. Starting in the Jardes quarry in Poitou-Charentes, France, in the spring of 1950, it traveled to Antwerp. There, it boarded the Beaverlake, a Canadian Pacific vessel. It finally arrived in Montreal several weeks later. Its inauguration was planned for the spring of 1951. Sadly, a sick Real del Sarte couldn’t attend. He deeply regretted missing the “celebration of Franco-Canadian friendship.” He even expressed his wish to bring a sachet of earth from Joan of Arc’s execution site to the ceremony. Real del Sarte’s fervent Catholicism fueled his reverence for Joan of Arc. He saw her as the embodiment of French patriotism and Catholic faith. He even founded an association called “Les Compagnons de Jeanne-d’Arc.” Joan of Arc was a recurring theme in his art. He depicted her in various forms. Sometimes an angel of peace, other times a warrior on horseback. Sometimes with a sword, helmet, and shield. Or carrying an olive branch. Or a flag with her companions, standing before her judges or beside her mother. The Jeanne au bûcher Statue here depicts her in prayer, eyes closed, at the stake. The flames lick at her clothes. The overall design is pure, with stylized folds in her clothing. The focus is on Joan of Arc’s serene face. The statue, made of hard Poitou stone, stands a little over three meters tall. It weighs four tons. At its base, you can see an inscription by the artist: “I created this piece with love for our Canadian friends, for the glory of the patron saint of world peace.” Notice how the beige stone’s color and granular texture complement the ocher bricks of the Roger-Gaudry Pavilion. It’s a harmonious blend of art and architecture. The Jeanne au bûcher Statue stands not just as a depiction of a historical figure, but as a testament to faith, patriotism, and international friendship.