Artwork
Law of the Wild
Law of the Wild is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Charles S. Raleigh. It dates from 1881 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower left: C. S. Raleigh / 1881
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a polar bear on sea ice, a seal carcass at its feet, and a distant ship, illustrating the Arctic ecosystem’s food chain.
The painting depicts a polar bear on sea ice, a seal carcass at its feet, and a distant ship, illustrating the Arctic ecosystem’s food chain. The polar bear, rendered in naturalistic detail, embodies the harshness and isolation of the northern wilderness, while the ship hints at human encroachment into this remote environment. The composition emphasizes survival and predation, reflecting 19th-century fascination with the untamed natural world and the perceived dominance of wildlife in such extreme conditions.
Technique & Style
Law of the Wild, executed by Charles S. Raleigh in 1881, is an oil painting on canvas. The work measures 89.5 centimeters in height and 102 centimeters in width. As an oil-on-canvas piece, it employs traditional pigments and binders applied to a woven textile support, a standard medium for 19th-century academic and landscape painting.
The surface depicts a maritime scene featuring polar bears, seals, ice formations, and a ship, rendered through the layering and blending capabilities characteristic of oil paint. The composition utilizes the medium's capacity for atmospheric depth and textural variation to convey the Arctic environment. No specific details regarding the painting's current physical condition, conservation history, or specific brushwork handling techniques are provided in the available records.
History & Provenance
The painting Law of the Wild by Charles S. Raleigh was created in 1881. It was recorded as originating from Connecticut before being acquired by The Old Print Shop in New York. In 1964, the work was sold to Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch.
The Garbisches later donated the painting to the National Gallery of Art (NGA) in Washington, D.C., in 1971, where it remains in the collection.
Overview
Titled "Law of the Wild," this oil on canvas painting presents a scene from an Arctic environment. The artwork features a polar bear and a seal on an expanse of ice, with a ship visible in the distance. The composition emphasizes the animals and their interaction, creating a visual narrative that feels both calm and rooted in the natural world.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Charles S. Raleigh painted quiet, still-life arrangements in oil during the late 1800s. Two of his works here are Emblem of Sargis Lodge and Fruit with Blue-footed Bowl, painted in 1893. His brush lingers on everyday…
Bjørnejagt
Bjørnejagt
Vildsvinejagt
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Kamp mellem en bjørn og nogle ulve
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