Israel and the Law (Study for Boston Public Library Mural) (work of art)
Artwork Info
Key Ideas
- This oil painting is a study, or preliminary sketch, for a large mural project titled Triumph of Religion. It is one of a series of murals John Singer Sargent painted for the Boston Public Library. He created these library murals over the course of 29 years, between 1890 and 1919.
- The subjects of this painting include a nude youth and a tall figure wearing a hooded cloak. The larger figure holds a closed scroll in one hand and a banner featuring Hebrew text in the other. The two main figures are surrounded by six angels.
- Sargent was an American artist known for painting portraits of the wealthy social class in Boston. He later painted landscapes and murals. The murals he painted in the Boston Public Library depict the history of religion.
Learn More
Israel and the Law is an oil sketch study for a wall mural in the entry hall of the Boston Public Library. A study is a preparatory work that helps an artist plan and refine their ideas before creating a finished piece. Artists often create studies as a way to explore different techniques, color combinations, and compositions.
American artist John Singer Sargent is best known as a portrait painter of wealthy Bostonians. He also created murals for public institutions such as Boston’s library and museum. Sargent painted this study to prepare for his Triumph of Religion mural series. The murals depict the evolution of religion from polytheism to the divine revelations of Judaism and Christianity. His library murals represent the history and study of religion rather than the practice of it. Sargent worked on his mural project at the Boston Public Library from 1890 until 1919. He used pencil, charcoal, oil paint, and clay to create many preliminary sketches for his murals.
You can’t do sketches enough. Sketch everything and keep your curiosity fresh.
John Singer Sargent
Israel and the Law depicts a tall figure (representing Jehovah) in an orange-toned cloak, surrounded by angels. The figure is showing an open scroll to a youth who personifies, or represents, Israel. The text on the scroll is written in Hebrew. The Hebrew inscription around the top arch of the painting consists of blessings that are spoken in Jewish ritual before the commandments are recited. This painting is approximately three feet tall and five feet wide. It was originally designed for a wall surface that is shaped like a half moon.
When Israel and the Law was donated to the NCMA, a local craftsperson was commissioned to build a custom frame for it. The frame matches the setting of Sargent’s Triumph of Religion mural at the Boston Public Library. This study is one of two similar works Sargent created. The other is on display at the Royal Academy of Arts in London.
Additional Resources
Resources for Teachers
- Watch a webinar about Sargent’s Triumph of Religion mural cycle at the Boston Public Library.
- Visit MFA Boston’s digital archive to explore the full collection of Sargent’s artwork, including oil paintings, murals, watercolors, drawings, and sculptures.
- Read an essay about Sargent.
Resources for Students
- View images of Sargent’s murals at the Boston Public Library.
- Read a short article about the artist’s life and work.
- Visit a virtual gallery of Sargent’s painted portraits.
Images
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Israel and the Law (Study for Boston Public Library Mural)
An orange and gray-toned oil painting of humanlike figures and angels inside a dark gray semicircle. Along the outer border of the semicircle is a banner with a Hebrew inscription. Within the semicircle, there are six angels sitting on a flat stone surface. A nude youth, with legs bent at the knees and fingers pointed upward, is seated at the center between the knees of a large figure wearing a hooded cloak. There are two banners draped over the cloaked figure’s arms. Two partially nude angels hold a banner in front of the youth. These banners are also inscribed with Hebrew text. Surrounding the central figures are more angels, some of which hold swords.
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SARGENT, Study for Israel and the Law, 2010_10, in frame
An orange and gray-toned oil painting of humanlike figures and angels inside a dark gray semicircle. Along the outer border of the semicircle is a banner with a Hebrew inscription. Within the semicircle, there are six angels sitting on a flat stone surface. A nude youth, with legs bent at the knees and fingers pointed upward, is seated at the center between the knees of a large figure wearing a hooded cloak. There are two banners draped over the cloaked figure’s arms. Two partially nude angels hold a banner in front of the youth. These banners are also inscribed with Hebrew text. Surrounding the central figures are more angels, some of which hold swords.