French Artist’s ‘Failure’ Inspired a Russian Spiritual Masterpiece
The NYU Russian art historian who took all who wanted (10 people) on a tour she called "Russian Art in the Metropolitan," first stopped by a French painting: Joan D'Ark by Jules Bastien-Lepage. My friends, can you guess why we stopped here?" she asked quizzically. 1. Jules Bastien-Lepage: Joan of Arc, 1879 Half of our crew were Slavic professors. Everyone's eyes dropped to their shoes, though. "Look at it!" She insisted, her dark eyes glorying with her secret. The French artist Jean Lepage painted "Joan D'Ark" in 1880s. By then, Joan of Arc was old, old news in a world which was getting increasingly intoxicated with newer and newer ways to be 'modern'. But Lepage came from Joan's birth town and he had something to say. His painting was exhibited in Paris in 1889, and more or less, flopped. European critics were primarily skeptical. They liked the figure of Joan - it was adorable, it was tangible; a peasa...