Abstract

In this thesis I consider Henry Scheffer's Entrée de Jeanne d’Arc à Orléans, le 8 mai 1429 (1843) in relation to female audiences of the July Monarchy. As a part of the larger Galerie des Batailles in the Musée Historique instituted in 1837 by Louis-Philippe, Entrée de Jeanne d'Arc has been addressed relative to the political objectives of the monarchy. Limited scholarship surrounding the Galerie des Batailles has focused on its evolution from royal apartments in the château de Versailles to public museum. However, the broadening of audiences during the July Monarchy and potential points of engagement between viewer and artwork have remained largely overlooked, especially in relation to Scheffer's Entrée de Jeanne d'Arc. Though feminist scholars have addressed the formation of the female spectator in post-revolutionary France, women in the art world during the July Monarchy remain understudied. This thesis discusses the expanding of audiences to whom Salon artists and Louis-Philippe were trying to appeal. The emergence of books and periodicals directed towards women during the July Monarchy, as well as the renewed interest in historicism affected female viewers' interaction with Scheffer's Entrée de Jeanne d'Arc. Additionally, the unrecognized fervor surrounding women of the July Monarchy who sought to emulate noble women of the past reflects these opportunities for women viewers. The emergence of contemporary women who were associated with the historical heroine, including Marie d'Orléans, expanded women's understanding of their place in history and their engagement in political, religious, and literary change within the public sphere. I attempt to show how all of these overlooked contextual circumstances empowered the viewing position of the female viewer in relation to Scheffer's Entrée de Jeanne d'Arc.

Degree

College and Department

Fine Arts and Communications; Visual Arts

Rights

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