France was reeling from defeat. Emmanuel Frémiet’s Jeanne d’Arc sculpture emerged a symbol of hope. Here at Place des Pyramides stands the gilded bronze equestrian statue of Joan of Arc.
The original Jeanne d’Arc statue was commissioned after France’s defeat in the Franco-Prussian War in 1870. It became the state’s only public commission between 1870 and 1914. Other statues relied on private funding during Paris’s Golden Age of statuary.
Aimée Girod served as Frémiet’s model. She hailed from Domrémy, Joan of Arc’s birthplace in Lorraine. In 1874, the statue was revealed. Paul Abadie designed the pedestal.
Frémiet created another version for Nancy in 1889. Ten years later, he replaced the Paris statue’s horse. He used a copy of the smaller Nancy horse. This decision drew criticism.
The Jeanne d’Arc monument earned historic monument status on March 31, 1992. Every May Day, the National Front holds a ceremony at the statue. This revives a far-right tradition.
This Jeanne d’Arc isn’t alone. Copies exist in Nancy, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Portland and Melbourne. The Place des Pyramides location holds significance. Joan of Arc was wounded nearby during her failed attempt to take Paris.
Frémiet was not pleased with his initial work. He felt the horse and rider were not in proportion. The City of Nancy requested a replica of the statue in 1889. This gave Frémiet a chance to fix his perceived errors. He reduced the horse’s size and made other changes.
Ongoing underground repairs threatened the Paris statue in 1899. Frémiet seized the chance to further refine his work. He adjusted Jeanne’s height and altered the horse. Some argue the Place des Pyramides statue is not the original but a modified copy. The bronze from the original may have been used for a replica in Mirecourt.
Following Joan of Arc’s canonization in 1920, the statue became a pilgrimage site. Royalist and traditionalist parties of France still visit it today.
Frémiet’s attention to detail is remarkable. He respected proportions and ensured archaeological precision. Some critics found the original statue stiff. They felt it lacked the feminine virtues associated with Joan of Arc. Frémiet worked to soften her image. He did this through the contours under the armor. He also feminized her pose.
Consider the many equestrian statues of Jeanne d’Arc. There are 37 in total. Twenty-eight reside in France and nine in other countries. She is a national heroine. She’s also one of France’s patron saints.