Love and Labor: The Unbroken Law, (sculpture).

Love and Labor: The Unbroken Law, (sculpture).

Barnard, George Grey, 1863-1938, sculptor.

Piccirilli, Furio, 1868-1949, carver.

Love and Labor: The Unbroken Law, (sculpture).

Unbroken Law, (sculpture).

Life of Humanity, (sculpture).

Commissioned ca. 1902. 1909-1910. Dedicated Oct. 4, 1911.

Carrara marble.

Approx. H. 8 ft.

This group of twenty-seven mostly nude figures installed at the west entrance to the Main Capitol Building represent man's prospering in measure with his fulfillment of the laws of God and nature. From back to front, the figures represent: Agriculture and the rewards of labor, the prodigal son, the baptism, the thinkers, the young parents, the philosopher-teacher, two brothers, and the new youth.

Allegory -- Arts & Sciences -- Agriculture

Figure group -- Nude

Outdoor Sculpture -- Pennsylvania -- Harrisburg

Administered by Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Capitol Preservation Committee, Room 30, Capitol Annex Building, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120

Located Pennsylvania State Capitol, West entrance of Main Capitol Building, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120

Paris Salon of 1909, Paris, 1909.

This sculpture and its companion, "The Burden of Life: The Broken Law," were commissioned by state officials about the time the Capitol was being constructed in 1902. Barnard was originally promised a commission of $700,000 for both sculptures, which were to include twice as many figures. Political graft at the time diminished the commission money, and eventually fewer figures were carved at a reduced commission of $180,000, with additional funds provided by private donations. Concern over the nudity of the figures caused public outcry and Bernard agreed to carve marble blurs, which many viewers mistake for fig leaves.

At the time of the SOS! survey in July 1995, the sculpture was covered with scaffolding pending conservation, and the photographs in the IAS image files show only obscured images. For additional information see "The Pennsylvania Capitol, A Documentary History," compiled by Heritage Studies, 1987. IAS files contain an excerpt from Harold E. Dickson's 1964 publication "George Grey Barnard: Centenary Exhibition, 1883-1963"; and a booklet entitled "Preserving a Palace of Art: A Guide to the Projects of the Pennsylvania Preservation Committee."

Index of American Sculpture, University of Delaware, 1985

Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, 1971.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, Pennsylvania survey, 1995.

National Park Service, American Monuments and Outdoor Sculpture Database, PA0298, 1989.

Monumental News, May 1910, pg. 362-364.

SOS Achievement Award, 1997.

Companion to: 75009242.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

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