Laying Down The Law

Laying Down The Law

Artwork



title=Trial By Jury
artist=Sir Edwin Landseer
year=1840
type=Oil-on-canvas
height=72
width=95

"Trial By Jury", or "Laying Down The Law" as it is commonly known, is an oil-on-canvas painting from 1840 by the English painter Sir Edwin Landseer, which satirises the legal profession. It depicts dogs in the roles of members of the court with a French poodle centre stage as the judge. The painting was inspired by a chance comment by a judge, while at dinner with Landseer, that the French poodle belonging to amateur artist and renowned socialite, the Count d'Orsay, "would make a capital Lord Chancellor".

Landseer was a member of the Royal Academy and had become famous for his paintings and drawings of animals. His later works include "The Monarch of the Glen", an iconic and much-reproduced painting of a stag in the Highlands, and the sculptures of the lions at the foot of Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square, London.

He completed "Trial by Jury" in 1840 — it was exhibited at the Royal Academy in the same year and was acquired by William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire, who had Landseer add his Blenheim spaniel, Bony, into the scene behind the Greyhound. Early copies of the painting can be seen with Bony absent. The original now hangs in the Sculpture Gallery at Chatsworth House. The poodle has been variously identified as representing Lord Brougham, who had been Lord Chancellor from 1830 to 1834, or Lord Lyndhurst, who had held the post three times (1827–1830, 1834–1835, and 1841–1846).

ee also

*"Dogs Playing Poker"

References


*cite web|url=http://www.chatsworth.org/learning/art_highlights.htm|title=The arts collection and archives: Highlights|publisher=Chatsworth|date=2006|accessdate=26 October|accessyear=2006
*cite web|url=http://www.the-kennel-club.org.uk/gallery/catalogue/sc936115.shtml|title=Oil Paintings:Laying Down The Law|publisher=The Kennel Club|accessdate=26 October|accessyear=2006

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • lay down the law — ORDER SOMEONE ABOUT/AROUND, tell someone what to do, ride roughshod over someone; informal boss someone about/around, throw one s weight about/around, push someone about/around. → lay * * * lay down the law To speak authoritatively or… …   Useful english dictionary

  • lay down the law — to tell people what they must do, without caring about their opinions. I m not going to let some new guy come into my office and start laying down the law. Riley laid down the law, telling his players, “We re going to play the game my way.”… …   New idioms dictionary

  • The Law (band) — The Law were an English rock group formed in 1991 comprising of ex The Who/The Faces drummer Kenney Jones and former Free/Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers. The two teamed up with the idea of using different supporting musicians, in order to allow… …   Wikipedia

  • The Law (The Law album) — Infobox Album Name = The Law Type = studio Artist = The Law Released = march 19, 1991 Recorded = 1991 Genre = Rock Length = 50:50 (2008 version) Label = Atlantic Producer = Chris Kimsey, Ahmet Ertegün Reviews = Allmusic Rating|2.5|5… …   Wikipedia

  • law — [[t]lɔ͟ː[/t]] ♦ laws 1) N SING: the N The law is a system of rules that a society or government develops in order to deal with crime, business agreements, and social relationships. You can also use the law to refer to the people who work in this… …   English dictionary

  • The People's Court — This article is about a US television program. For other similarly named entities, see People s Court (disambiguation). The People s Court Format Judicial Created by John Masterson Presented by …   Wikipedia

  • The Lost Boys (soundtrack) — Infobox Album | Name = The Lost Boys: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Type = Soundtrack album Artist = Various Artists Released = July 31, 1987 October 25, 1990 (CD Release) Recorded = Genre = Soundtrack Length = 41:14 Label = Atlantic… …   Wikipedia

  • The Definitive Part One — Infobox Album | Name = The Definitive Part One Type = Compilation album Longtype = Artist = Cloven Hoof Released = 2008 Recorded = Genre = Heavy metal Length = 65:00 Label = Elemental Music Producer = Paul O’Neill Reviews = Last album = Eye of… …   Wikipedia

  • The Seal of Confession —     The Law of the Seal of Confession     † Catholic Encyclopedia ► The Law of the Seal of Confession     In the Decretum of the Gratian who compiled the edicts of previous councils and the principles of Church law which he published about 1151,… …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • How Titus Pullo Brought Down the Republic — Rome episode title=How Titus Pullo Brought Down the Republic caption=Titus Pullo season=1 (2005) episode=2 (HBO; see BBC editing) air date=September 4, 2005 (HBO) November 2nd 9th, 2005 (BBC) ( see BBC editing ) writer=Bruno Heller… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”