Legal Art

“The Jurist”, also known as “The Lawyer”, is an oil-on-canvas painting by Italian artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo painted in 1566. The artist was a master at building features and faces out of food, and in this case the painting depicts the face of a lawyer with meat and fish.  There are two versions of this painting. One is currently in the National Museum of Art in Stockholm while the other is held by a private collector in Milan.

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“Uncle Dominique as a Lawyer” was painted by Paul Cézanne in 1866. Cézanne painted nine portraits of his maternal uncle, Dominique Aubert.  His uncle, a bailiff by profession, agreed to pose for him in various costumes. In another painting, the subject is wearing a habit of a Dominican Monk. “Uncle Dominique As a Lawyer” is currently in Musée d'Orsay in Paris.

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“The Lawyers” was drawn in 1870-75 by Honore Daumier with pen, ink, and crayon on paper.  Honore Daumier was sometimes referred to as the “Michelangelo of Caricature” due to his frequent use of the technique.  Having been jailed for his caricatures, Daumier had the opportunity to interact with lawyers which were eventually the subjects of Daumier's satirical works. The painting now resides in The Walters Art Museum in Baltimore.

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“The Will Found” is an 1868 painting by George Smith. The painting depicts a family finding a will that was previously lost. Another painting by George Smith illustrates the family searching for the will (part of a story-telling series: The Will Lost, Searching for the Will; The Will Found; and Reading the Will). George Smith often painted landscapes but he also painted genre scenes that focused on children.

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“The Village Lawyer” was painted by Pieter Brueghel the Younger in 1621. Pieter Brueghel the Younger was known for reproducing copies of his father's paintings. The Village Lawyer, however, is an original work and one of his most popular. Although the painting is sometimes also called the Tax Collector's Office, The Village Lawyer is probably more accurate since the person behind the desk is wearing a lawyer's bonnet and the collection of taxes usually did not occur in settings depicted in the painting. This painting is now in the Museum of Fine Arts in Ghent.

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“The Lawyer's Office” is an artwork created by Marinus van Reymerswaele circa 1545. Between 1533 and 1545, Marinus van Reymerswaele made distinctive paintings of lawyers, bankers, and moneychangers which relate to the fundamental changes in the legal and commercial infrastructure in the sixteenth century. While his works are mostly adapted from other artists such as Quentin Massys and Albrecht Dürer, he brought a unique sense of Mannerist caricature and vivid realism.  The Lawyer's Office is one of five themes that he painted multiple times throughout his career. A copy of the painting is now in the New Orleans Museum of Art.

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“Defendant and Counsel” was painted by William Frederick Yeames in 1895. The artist was best known for painting problem pictures which invited viewers to speculate on a possible explanation of a scene.  Another of his works, “And when did you last see your father?" became the most famous example of the genre.  “Defendant and Counsel” was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1895 and enjoyed immediate notoriety.  This painting is now on display at the Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery.

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“Waiting for Legal Advice” was painted by James Campbell in 1857. Campbell's works were influenced by pre-Raphaelite ideas and focusedon the details of lower-middle and working class life. The painting was inspired by his experience as the son of an insurance clerk.  It is now a part of a collection of National Museums Liverpool.

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“Waiting For The Verdict” was painted by Abraham Solomon in 1857. His earlier works were mainly domestic genre scenes which were frequently inspired by 18th century sources. “Waiting For The Verdict” was different in that it used a contemporary subject matter. The painting is set in a darkened area outside a provincial courtroom. Its sequel, “Not Guilty” was exhibited in 1859. This painting is currently at the Getty Center in Los Angeles.

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“The Declaration of Independence” by John Trumbull was commissioned in 1817.  It was purchased in 1819 by the U.S. Congress and placed in the Rotunda in 1826.  The painting depicts 42 of the 56 signers of the Declaration.  The other signers were excluded because Trumbull could not find any likeness for them.  The picture can also be seen on the back of the two dollar bill.

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