The Trial of Joan of Arc (Joan of Arc series: VI) c. 1909 - 1910

Louis Maurice Boutet de Monvel painted 'The Trial of Joan of Arc' at the turn of the century, using oils on canvas. It’s all about the feeling of the space. Look at how the muted colours almost flatten the scene, pushing forward towards us. The browns and greens of the room and spectators are broken by the splash of that acidic yellow robe, and of course Joan’s luminous blue tunic. Her standing figure is so smooth and complete, compared to the rest of the scene, where everything is smudged and a little vague. I love that the surface texture is so chalky, it’s almost like fresco. That flat perspective reminds me of Puvis de Chavannes, but with a little more bite. Both artists ask us to consider history as something present and unfolding, rather than a fixed, unchangeable narrative. The vagueness and flatness become a way of emphasizing the importance of our perspective in understanding the past.