- 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 ofNelson's Column inTrafalgar 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 theGreyhound . Early copies of the painting can be seen with Bony absent. The original now hangs in the Sculpture Gallery atChatsworth House . The poodle has been variously identified as representingLord Brougham , who had beenLord Chancellor from 1830 to 1834, orLord Lyndhurst , who had held the post three times (1827–1830, 1834–1835, and 1841–1846).ee also
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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
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