Maude Adams (1872-1953) as Joan of Arc
Alphonse Mucha, 1860-1939
1909
Oil on canvas
82 1/4 x 30 in. (208.9 x 76.2 cm)
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (Gift of A. J. Kobler, 1920 (20.33))
Painted in Chicago in 1909, this picture depicts the American actress Maude Adams in the role of Joan of Arc in Schiller's Die Jungfrau von Orleans (The Maid of Orleans), which she performed in translation on June 21, 1909, at Harvard University Stadium. The portrait was made specifically for the one-night gala performance of the play at Harvard and was displayed as a poster for the event. Mucha also designed the costumes and sets and supervised the direction. Afterwards, at the actress' request, the painting served as the lobby poster for the Empire Theater in New York, where Adams regularly performed. The ornate gilded frame was designed by Mucha for that purpose.
