Figure Study for "The Law" Mural, Appellate Court Building, New York c. 19th century

Editor: Here we have Kenyon Cox’s "Figure Study for 'The Law' Mural" in pencil. It’s fascinating to see the grid laid out on the figure. How did the artist's process and materials shape the final artwork? Curator: The grid reveals a methodical, labor-intensive transfer process typical of mural creation. Cox’s academic approach emphasizes control and precision. How does this preparatory drawing relate to the final mural's social function in the Appellate Court building? Editor: The mural’s function as legal art provides a social context to the figure study. Does the material used, the pencil, reflect the mural’s grander scale? Curator: Precisely. The pencil is a preliminary tool, subservient to the final, more ‘permanent’ medium, reflecting a hierarchy of artistic labor and value. Editor: Interesting, so it shows the complex relationship between the sketch and the mural. Curator: Exactly! It makes you consider the art historical context for this type of labor and social practice.