Equestrian statue of Joan of Arc (Washington, D.C.)

About

Joan of Arc is a 1922 cast of the 1896 statue sculpted by French artist Paul Dubois. It is located in the center of the grand terrace at Meridian Hill Park, an urban park in Washington, D.C., United States. The bronze statue rests on a granite base designed by McKim, Mead & White. It depicts French heroine, patron saint, and national symbol Joan of Arc riding into battle, wielding a sword as she looks towards the sky. It is the only equestrian statue in Washington, D.C. that depicts a woman. It is one of several public artworks in the park. The statue is owned and maintained by the National Park Service, an agency of the United States Department of the Interior.

The statue was a gift of the Society of Women of France of New York (Société des Femmes de France de New York). The dedication ceremony took place on January 6, 1922, with President Warren G. Harding and First Lady Florence Harding in attendance. Speeches were given by French Ambassador Jean Jules Jusserand and Secretary of War John W. Weeks. A 17-gun salute fired from Fort Myer was the first time the United States military had fired such a salute in honor of a woman. Since its installation, Joan of Arc has been repeatedly vandalized. The sword has been stolen and replaced many times since the 1930s. The most recent restoration and sword replacement took place in 2018.