Image: Monument commémoratif de la réhabilitation de Jeanne d’Arc

Description: Monument commemorating the rehabilitation of Joan of Arc in Noyon, Notre-Dame Cathedral In July 1909, a committee was created in Noyon to honor the heroine, who had also recently been beatified. They commissioned the Noyon sculptor Émile Pinchon (1872-1933) to create a commemorative group for the rehabilitation of Jeanne. The work was quickly completed but, for lack of compliance with the procedure, was denied access to the cathedral by the Historic Monuments department.It was finally place in the Cathedral in 1912. The life-size group is made of patinated plaster. It is intended as an allegory of the rehabilitation trial. Jeanne symbolically present is represented in it. Enthroned in the back and center wearing a mitre is Jean Juvénal des Ursins. Enthroned to his left is is one of the other assessors, either Guillaume Chartier, bishop of Paris, or Richard de Longueil, bishop of Coutances. Jean Bréhal is the right-most figure in the background, wearing the Dominican habit, a tunic covered by a long coat. Guillaume Bouille, dean of the cathedral chapter of Noyon, who was originally charged by Charles VII to investigate Joan's case bows before her and hands her the text of the sentence which rehabilitates her. In the background and in the center is the Archbishop of Reims, Jean II Jouvenel or Juvénal des Ursins. It sits enthroned in a high cathedra, the back of which is adorned with a napkin pleated decoration. He wears the mitre, a rich chasuble and a cope fastened by an ornate clasp. To his left sits a bishop, leaning forward with rapt attention. This monk, who wears the miter and the cope, To the right of Jean Jouvenel des Ursins, stands an impressive and austere Dominican, the inquisitor Jean Bréhal. He wears the habit of his order: a tunic covered by a long coat. Jeanne is in the foreground, three-quarters back to the observer. She wears armor covered with coat of arms or tabard. Eyes closed, she clasps a small cross on her chest with her left hand, and extends her right hand towards the fifth character. This is Guillaume Bouille, dean of the cathedral chapter of Noyon, charged by Charles VII to investigate the cause. Dressed in the canonical habit and the aumusse resting on his right forearm, he bows before Jeanne with deference and hands her with his left hand the text of the sentence which rehabilitates her. The faces reproduce the features of the sculptor's contemporaries. In particular, Guillaume Bouillé is the portrait of the archpriest Alexis Lagneaux, and Jeanne, that of Alice Laurent, wife of the artist.
Title: Monument commémoratif de la réhabilitation de Jeanne d’Arc
Credit: Flickr
Author: Patrick
Usage Terms: Public domain
License: Public domain
Attribution Required?: No