Guy Pène du Bois began his studies at the New York School of Art, studying under William Merritt Chase, but quickly became enamored of the social realist approach being championed by the school’s new instructor, Robert Henri. Henri pushed students to leave the classroom and observe people in their environment. Pène du Bois’ classmates included Edward Hopper, Gifford Beal, George Bellows, and Rockwell Kent. Hopper and Pène du Bois remained close throughout their careers.
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Pène du Bois studied in Paris from 1905-1906 and was a participant in the 1905 Paris Salon. After his return to the U.S. he worked as a journalist, initially covering the police and court beats. His experiences as a reporter inspired the subjects of many of his artworks. By 1909 he was a full time art critic for the New York American, a career he would often return to for various publications. He participated in the 1913 Armory Show as an exhibiting artist and as the show’s publicity manager.
Locked Jury features the flattened spaces and stylized figures that characterize Pène du Bois’ career. In the painting, various social interactions play out around a table. In groups or in isolation, the jury members argue, gesture, threaten, or contemplate their task while the lone female juror sits in stoic silence, the apparent center of the drama.