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Primary sourcePaintingMay 1429

Marginal Drawing of Joan of Arc

Clément de Fauquembergue · May 1429

A quick ink sketch of Joan of Arc made in the margin of a Paris court register in May 1429, the only image of her from her own lifetime.

This is the only image of Joan made during her lifetime, though the artist drew it without ever seeing her.

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Brown ink sketch in a manuscript margin of a long-haired figure in profile facing left, holding a pole with a banner and a sword pointing right. Beside it is handwritten Latin text and a word 'Mercredi' at the bottom.
Clément de Fauquembergue, marginal drawing of Joan of Arc, May 1429. Register of the Parlement of Paris, French National Archives.

About this source

What it is

This is a small ink drawing made in the margin of the register of the Parlement of Paris in May 1429, by the court clerk Clément de Fauquembergue. It shows a long-haired figure in profile holding a banner on a pole and a sword. The drawing is kept in the French National Archives.

Why it matters

This sketch is the only image of Joan of Arc made during her own lifetime, but Fauquembergue never actually saw her — he drew it from reputation, after news of her victories reached Paris. It shows how quickly Joan's fame spread and how people imagined her as a warrior figure, even without ever meeting her.

Look closer

  • What details suggest this is a quick doodle rather than a careful portrait?
  • Why would a court clerk draw Joan in the margin of an official record?
  • Since the artist never saw her, how reliable is this image as evidence of what she actually looked like?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Joan of Arc on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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