Le tumulte du combat

This work by Louis-Maurice Boutet de Monvel, painted circa late 1909 to early 1913, belongs to his series devoted to Joan of Arc. It depicts the turmoil of battle in a dense composition where horses, lances, armor, and banners collide in an almost continuous movement. Here the artist is less concerned with identifying a single precise military episode than with conveying the violence, confusion, and heroic momentum associated with the wars led by Joan of Arc during the final phases of the Hundred Years’ War. Through his decorative style, clarity of line, and brilliant color, Boutet de Monvel gives the scene a narrative, monumental, and legendary dimension, contributing to the idealized image of Joan in French historical memory.