Portal:Saints/Selected article/March 2007

Joan of Arc statue at Place des Pyramides, Paris

Joan of Arc has inspired artistic and cultural works for nearly six centuries. The following lists cover various media to include items of historic interest, enduring works of high art, and recent representations in popular culture. The entries represent portrayals that a reader has a reasonable chance of encountering rather than a complete catalog. Lesser known works, particularly from early periods, are not included. In 1979 the Bibliothèque Municipale in Rouen, France held an exhibition that contained over 500 images and other items that related to Joan of Arc.[1]

Many of the excluded items are derivative of better known representations. For instance, Schiller's play inspired at least 82 different dramatic works during the nineteenth century. Verdi's and Tchaikovski's operatic adaptations are still recorded and performed. Most of the others survive only in research libraries.[2] In 1894 Émile Huet listed over 400 plays and musical works about Joan of Arc. Despite a great deal of scholarly interest in Joan of Arc no complete list of artistic works about her exists, although a 1989 doctoral dissertation did identify all relevant films including ones for which no copy survives.