Artwork
The Recording of Precedents: Confucius and His Pupils Collate and Transcribe Documents in Their Favorite Grove; Color Study for Mural, Supreme Court Room, Minnesota State Capitol, Saint Paul
The Recording of Precedents: Confucius and His Pupils Collate and Transcribe Documents in Their Favorite Grove; Color Study for Mural, Supreme Court Room, Minnesota State Capitol, Saint Paul is a watercolor work on paper by the Post-Impressionist artist John La Farge. It dates from 1903 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 67.55.168
- Credit line
- Bequest of Susan Dwight Bliss, 1966
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work portrays Confucius and his disciples copying and transcribing texts within a secluded grove, emphasizing scholarly study and the transmission of moral teachings. Symbolically, the scene underscores the reverence for wisdom and the orderly gathering of precedent, reflecting Confucian ideals of education and ethical governance.
Technique & Style
The piece dates to 1903 and serves as a preparatory design for a mural intended for the Supreme Court Room of the Minnesota State Capitol in Saint Paul.
The work is executed as a color study using a mixed-media approach on tan wove paper. John La Farge employed gouache, watercolor, and gum arabic alongside graphite to create the composition. This combination of opaque and transparent pigments with dry media allowed for the detailed rendering of figures and documents depicted in the scene.
The piece dates to 1903 and serves as a preparatory design for a mural intended for the Supreme Court Room of the Minnesota State Capitol in Saint Paul.
History & Provenance
John La Farge created this watercolor study in 1903 as a preparatory work for a mural in the Supreme Court room of the Minnesota State Capitol. Executed in gouache, watercolor, gum arabic, and graphite on tan wove paper, it was later acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art and remains in its collection today.
Overview
John La Farge’s 1903 preparatory work, executed in gouache, watercolor, gum arabic and graphite on tan wove paper, serves as a color study for a proposed mural in the Supreme Court chamber of the Minnesota State Capitol. The study captures a tranquil gathering of scholars in a wooded setting, illustrating La Farge’s careful planning of composition and palette before the full‑scale wall painting was realized.
Context
At the turn of the twentieth century, American public buildings often incorporated allegorical murals to convey civic virtues. La Farge, already noted for his stained‑glass and mural commissions, employed an Eastern philosophical figure to underscore themes of wisdom and justice, aligning the Capitol’s judicial space with broader cultural aspirations of the era.
Artist & collection
Artist
John La Farge (March 31, 1835 – November 14, 1910) was an American artist whose career spanned illustration, murals, interior design, painting, and popular books on his Asian travels and other art-related topics.
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