Monument à Jeanne d'Arc ou statue de Jeanne d'Arc
MonumentHidden Treasure
Monument à Jeanne d'Arc ou statue de Jeanne d'Arc, located in Montebourg (Manche), is a medieval landmark built in the Middle Ages. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Medieval (11th-15th century)
- Location
- Montebourg, Manche, Normandie
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 49.4888, -1.3854
- Mérimée Reference
- PA50000054
Erected in Montebourg in the patriotic fervour of the post-1870 period, this equestrian statue of Joan of Arc in armour, a masterpiece by Mathurin Moreau, embodies the national resistance with striking power.
History
In the heart of the Cotentin region of Normandy, the statue of Joan of Arc in Montebourg stands out as one of the most eloquent testimonies to the revival of the Johannine cult in the battered France of the late 19th century. Far from being a simple commemorative effigy, this remarkably vibrant sculpted group depicts La Pucelle d'Orléans in full warrior spirit, rushing into battle with her standard unfurled in the names of Jesus and Mary. The composition brings together two masters of French academic sculpture, giving the whole an uncommon plastic coherence and energy. What sets this monument apart from the countless statues of Joan erected in France at the same time is precisely this creative duality: the horse, muscular and launched into an upward movement, bears the signature of Pierre Le Nordez, while the figure of Joan herself, remarkably expressive, is the work of the sculptor Mathurin Moreau, a member of the Institut and winner of the Grand Prix de Rome. This collaboration between two distinct talents produces a work of astonishing coherence, in which the bronze seems animated by an inner breath. A visit to the monument is an experience imbued with contemplation and admiration for the sculptural skills of the Third Republic. You take the time to walk around the statue to appreciate every angle, from the embroidered banner flapping in the frozen bronze wind to the resolute expression of the young warrior. The detail of the work on the armour, the reflections of the metal with its patina of age, and the dynamics of the equestrian group all merit close observation. Montebourg, a small town in the north of the Manche département, provides an authentic Norman setting for this monument. Listed as a Historic Monument since 2006, the ensemble is now protected for future generations, recognised as a precious fragment of France's collective memory and an accomplished example of republican public statuary.
Architecture
The monument is a sculpted equestrian group in cast bronze, bringing together two distinct figures in a dynamic and theatrically effective whole. Joan of Arc is depicted in full armour, an iconography that became the norm in Johannine statuary during the Third Republic: the war harness emphasises the warrior and liberator dimension of the figure, to the detriment of mystical or religious imagery. His standard, embroidered with the holy names of Jesus and Mary, provides the only note of piety in a resolutely martial composition. The equestrian figure, a noble statuary genre par excellence since Antiquity, lends the monumentality and symbolic authority that go beyond simple commemoration. The horse, designed by Pierre Le Nordez, is treated in the academic tradition of the historical horse: powerful body, taut neck, limbs captured in a galloping movement or forward rush, suggesting the impetuosity of combat. Mathurin Moreau's Jeanne, modelled in a realistic-idealised style characteristic of republican sculpture in the late 19th century, features meticulous execution of the details of the armour and an expressive face that testifies to the artist's consummate skill. The whole probably rests on a stone base, a classic feature of French public statuary of the period, whose dimensions and inscriptions contribute to the commemorative setting of the monument. The fact that it has been listed as a Monument Historique testifies to the quality of execution and artistic coherence of a group which, despite being the result of a collaboration between two sculptors, presents a remarkable stylistic and narrative unity.
Related Figures
Jeanne d'Arc (v. 1412-1431) — héroïne nationale représentée, figure centrale du monumentMathurin Moreau (1822-1912) — sculpteur académique français, membre de l'Institut, auteur de la figure de JeannePierre Le Nordez — sculpteur auteur du cheval, collaborateur du groupe équestre
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Monument à Jeanne d'Arc ou statue de Jeanne d'Arc located?
Monument à Jeanne d'Arc ou statue de Jeanne d'Arc is located in Montebourg, Manche department, Normandie region, France.
When was Monument à Jeanne d'Arc ou statue de Jeanne d'Arc built?
Monument à Jeanne d'Arc ou statue de Jeanne d'Arc dates back to a period built in the Middle Ages (11th-15th century).
Is Monument à Jeanne d'Arc ou statue de Jeanne d'Arc open to visitors?
Monument à Jeanne d'Arc ou statue de Jeanne d'Arc is currently closed to visitors.