A Noted Sculptor
Creating Joan of Arc
For years, Anna wanted to produce a life-sized equestrian statue of the great heroine of France, St. Joan of Arc. She dedicated herself to research and early models of this project while in France. The artist traveled to the places Joan had lived and engaged in the task of finding just the right horse to serve as a model for the one which carried the saint into battle.
She worked long days in a French studio for several months on this pivotal project, using over three tons (6,000 pounds) of clay to create her Joan of Arc. The resulting plaster model won her honorable mention at the prestigious Paris Salon art exhibition of 1910. This work led to her being offered a commission for the statue in bronze by the city of New York. The project was planned to commemorate the 500th birthday of Joan of Arc. It was dedicated in 1915 in the presence of the French Ambassador and other dignitaries.
This work became one of her most famous pieces. It features the figure of Joan of Arc standing atop her horse in full armor, sword raised to heaven. The statue stands today in New York City as a magnificent example of the work of Anna Hyatt with its exquisite details of both horse and rider.
International Recognition
Anna Hyatt’s career continued to flourish. In the 1910s she won awards, launched exhibitions of her work, and created additional castings of her sculptures for locations around the world. She was awarded honorary citizenship in Blois, France - likely a result of her casting a Joan of Arc for the city.
In 1912 she appeared on a list as one of only twelve women in the U.S. earning $50,000 a year.H2 This is the equivalent of $1.4 million in 2021.