Joan of Arc before God 1901

Luc-Olivier Merson made this image of Joan of Arc before God with oils, but when, I don’t know. I’m looking at these figures, bathed in a cool light, like a stained-glass window illuminated by the sun. I imagine Merson, wrestling with the folds of fabric, the weight of armor, the ethereal glow around the figures. There’s a beautiful tension between the earthly and the divine. You know, painting is like a conversation across time, across different realities, and I bet Merson was thinking of the old masters when he made this. The surface is smooth, carefully blended, yet there’s a certain texture that comes through, especially in the robes and the architectural details. I wonder about the choices Merson made, the way he built up the image, layer by layer, to create this dramatic composition. It’s funny, each brushstroke is a decision, a small act of faith, or maybe a little prayer.