On the way to victory - Sergey Solomko

A wartime chromolithograph by Sergey Solomko depicting an allegorical Joan of Arc leading Allied forces to victory.

This chromolithograph by Sergey Solomko, titled Sur la Route de la Victoire, functions as a piece of First World War propaganda. Solomko, a Russian artist who spent much of his career in Paris, was known for his illustrative work and historical scenes. In this composition, he employs the figure of Joan of Arc, depicted in full plate armour and mounted on a white horse, to represent the Allied cause. She carries a banner featuring religious iconography, while a halo encircles her head, suggesting divine intervention in the conflict.

Behind the central figure, the flags of the Allied powers, including the Union Jack and the Russian Imperial standard, are displayed. Below, a group of soldiers from various nations look upward toward the apparition. The composition uses a dramatic, upward-looking perspective to create a sense of movement and spiritual guidance. The inclusion of the French inscription, Si je n'y suis, que Dieu m'y mette, Et si j'y suis, que Dieu m'y tienne, refers to a traditional prayer associated with Joan of Arc, reinforcing the patriotic and religious themes common in wartime ephemera of the period.

Solomko's style here reflects the decorative sensibilities of the Art Nouveau era, even when applied to a martial subject. The lines are clean, and the colour palette is structured to draw the eye toward the central figure of the saint. The work is typical of the mass-produced postcards and prints that circulated during the Great War to maintain morale and define the conflict in moralistic terms. It provides a clear example of how historical figures were repurposed to serve contemporary political narratives during the early twentieth century.