Joan of Arc Saved France

Title

Subject

War Savings Stamps

Description

This poster depicts an attractive Joan of Arc bearing a sword, in military gear, with the heading "Joan of Arc Saved France." Joan is presented as an idealized image of martial courage and heroism. Her martyrdom and sainthood suggest the idea of a holy war, and military victory by divine right. The banality of its message, however ("Save Your Country. Buy War Savings Stamps.") seems incongruous with the mythologized figure represented. Joan's femininity makes her a dubious stand-in for the reality of national military efficacy, given that women did not participate in combat, while her legendary status makes her equally problematic as an everyman figure. The poster summons an image from a nostalgic understanding of national pride and medieval warfare to dress up as "heroic" the everyday deeds of the individual necessitated by a society's commitment to total war.

Creator

Haskell Coffin

Source

McFarlin Library, Department of Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tulsa. 2933 E. 6th St. Tulsa, Oklahoma 74104-3123

Publisher

United States Treasury Department

United States Printing

Lithograph Co.

Date

1910-1920

Language

English

Identifier

1992.004.5.62

Coverage

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United States of America

Dublin Core