Joan of Arc Standing at the Altar at Reims Cathedral c. 1844

This is a preliminary sketch for Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres's painting *Joan of Arc at the Stake*, depicting the French heroine Joan of Arc, a national symbol of France, standing at the altar in Reims Cathedral. The sketch is made in black chalk on paper, which is typical of Ingres's working process. The piece, dated around 1844, shows Joan of Arc's figure in detailed outline, highlighting her religious robes and armor. The drawing is an example of Neoclassicism, a movement that emphasized clarity of form and line. Ingres's precise style is showcased in this preliminary sketch, foreshadowing his later painting of Joan of Arc.