The Statute Law, Study for Right Panel of "The Reign of Law," Frieze for Appellate Court, New York
Medium
mural designs
Classification
mural designs
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Allyn Cox
Accession Number
1959-69-4
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Kenyon Cox, a leading figure in America's Beaux-Arts mural renaissance, created *The Statute Law* in 1898 as a preparatory study for the right panel of his grand frieze *The Reign of Law*.ed for New York City's Appellate Court, this design embodies the era's enthusiasm for monumental public art that celebrated democratic ideals and the rule of law. Cox, in Europe and inspired by Renaissance masters like Raphael, blended classical symbolism—likely evoking codified statutes and justice—with a harmonious, allegorical composition suited to the courthouse's dignified architecture. As a mural desig...