Paintings
The Kiss of Peace and Justice
Permanent ExhibitionPainting
Details
- Author / creator
- Laurent de La Hyre (French, 1606–1656)
- Object type
- Painting
- Date or period
- 1654
- Dimensions summary
- Framed: 68.5 × 89 × 6.5 cm; Unframed: 54.9 × 76.2 cm
- Support
- Canvas
- Paint medium
- Oil
- Place of origin
- France
- Acquisition method
- Purchase
- Credit line
- Purchased with the Ashcombe City Council acquisitions budget, 1971
About this object
The figures of Peace (burning the weapons of war) and Justice (holding a sword and scales) embrace in a quiet landscape. The Latin inscription under the antique urn reads “Justice and Peace kissed” (referring to an Old Testament verse, Psalms 85:10). The subject may have had political significance: the painting’s date coincides with the end of the Fronde, a period of civil war in France during which the parlement (courts of appeal) and the nobility sought—unsuccessfully—to limit the power of the monarchy
Materials and technique
Oil on canvas
Signature and marks
signed lower right: L. De La Hyre. / in. & F. 1654 [inscribed on stone in center: IVSTITIA ET PAX / OSCULATAE SUNT / Psal. 84]
