JOAN OF ARC / FAITH.

Images: Sotheby’s catalogue.

  • Title(s): Joan of Arc (Sotheby’s, 2006 & 2007); Faith (Illustrated London News, 23 Apr 1904; Whitchapel Art Gallery, 1907). Both titles assumed to refer to the same work by the description of ‘Faith’ in The Illustrated London News, 23 Apr 1904.
  • Description: A woman with red hair hanging loosely over her shoulders, her face raised and eyes closed. She wears body armour with chain mail and has a red cloth draped over her left arm and visible behind her right side. She holds a sword with both hands, blade vertically downwards so that the hilt has the appearance of a cross. Background an indistinctly painted green landscape with prominent rainbow framing the head and shoulders of the woman.
  • Media: oil on canvas (Sotheby’s, 2007).
  • Dimensions: “89 by 79 cm.; 35 by 31 in.” (Sotheby’s, 2007.)
  • Signature/date/other text: none visible in images or mentioned in catalogues.
  • History:
    • 1904 Apr – Exhibited New Gallery, “Faith”. (Illustrated London News, Apr 23 1904.)
    • 1907 Feb-Mar- Exhibited Whitchapel Art Gallery – Spring Exhibition, no. 109, “Faith” (exhibition catalogue).
    • 1922 – This or another version present in Annie’s studio and visible in photo in The Times, 25 Nov 1922 – if it is the same work then Annie altered some details of the work after the photo was taken.
    • 1981 – Mentioned in an article in Cheshire Observer, 29 May 1981, presumably while on view pending following auction.
    • 1981 – Auctioned Sotheby’s, 23 Jun, lot 104, sold: £750 [c. £2,900 at 2025 value]. (Sotheby’s, 2006).
    • 1984 – Auctioned Christie’s, Rome, 4 Dec, lot 51. (Sotheby’s, 2006).
    • 2006 – Auctioned Sotheby’s, London, 14 Dec, lot 130, “oil/canvas / 89 by 79 cm; 35 by 31 in / Illustrated on page 71 of the catalog”, provenance: private collection, passed.
    • 2007 – Auctioned Sotheby’s, London, 3 Oct, lot 71, “oil/canvas / 89 by 79 cm; 35 by 31 in / Illustrated on page 45 of the catalog”, provenance: private collection, passed.
  • Location: ? (“Private collection” according to Sotheby’s 2006 & 2007).

The Illustrated London News, 23 April 1904, mentions a picture by Annie on display at the New Gallery called ‘Faith’ …

with the strong expression of the face – an expression without the aid of eyes, for they are closed – might also be a Joan of Arc; the head is thrown back, in intense meditation, and the hands rest on the cross of a sword.

Similar comments referring to a picture called ‘Faith’ are made in the Whitchapel Gallery Spring Exhibition catalogue, 1907:

The setting sun irradiates the face and shining armour of the figure; in her hands she holds the sword of truth, with the blades against her fingers, confident, it will not hurt her; the background falls into shadow with the approach of night. [See notes below on presumed reworking of background post-1922.]

It is assumed here that ‘Faith’ and the later ‘Joan of Arc’ are the same work. (In Annie’s posthumous studio sale there was an item, lot 157, ‘Study for Joan of Arc.’)

1922-11-25-times

A photograph in The Times, 25 Nov 1922, shows Annie standing by two pictures. One is The Southing of the Sun, or a close copy of it. The other is Joan of Arc, but the image has differences to the version known today, most noticeably the arched corners. It is either another version or the background was reworked post-1922.

FaithGIF

The armour has been identified by Dr Nicolas P. Baptiste of the University of Savoy, France, as a “breastplate from Istanbul, from the old Collection of the late Baron Zouche, Robert Curzon [1810-1873], who used to be a diplomat and could have brought the armour from Turkey”. There are minor differences, but it is a very close match.

image-2

Sotheby’s, 3 Oct 2007, auction catalogue, report on condition:

“STRUCTURE Relined SURFACE Paint loss appears in the lower right hand corner approximately 1 inch horizontally ¼ inch vertically. There are areas of surface craquelure which appears mainly to the left hand side of Joan’s head and an area to the right of her head which is starting to lift. There is also evidence that the canvas has been extended by the artist and this is viewable in the catalogue illustration: a horizontal line at the top approx 3 inches from the edge and two vertical lines, one on the left hand side approximately 5 inches from the edge and on the right hand side approximately 6 inches from the edge, a horizontal line approximately 3 inches from the bottom edge. Some scuff marks appear along the edges where the frame has rubbed against the canvas. The picture appears dirty and should benefit from cleaning. UNDER ULTRA VIOLET There are some sweeps of restoration which appear around Joan’s head and continue further down the left hand side. Some retouchings also appear along the lines where the canvas has been extended. FRAME Contained in a plain silver and gilt frame. COLOUR COMPARISON The colours are deeper and stronger than the catalogue illustration suggests”.

There are similarities to Illusions – armour, chain mail, red drape over the left arm.

Special thanks to Nicolas and Soline Baptiste for their communications.

Page last updated 2 Jun 2025.