The Wizard and the Magna Carta by L. Martel

The Magna Carta, one of the most important documents in history, was issued by King John of England, in June 1215 and was the first document to put into writing the principle that the king and his government was not above the law. It was meant to make everyone, even the king and the government subject to the laws they created. It sought to prevent the king from exploiting his power, and placed limits on royal authority by establishing law as a power in itself. It guaranteed the rights of individuals, the right to justice and to a fair trial. It had three main provisions: It was to ban cruel and unusual punishment, insured trail by jury of one’s peers and insured that justice should not be sold or unnecessarily delayed. Why would King John sign such a document that clearly put limits to his powers? He was an unpopular king and a group of rebel barons sought protection from his powers. It was either sign the Magna Carta or face a civil war. It was not uncommon for people to be subject to illegal imprisonment. Their land and property could be seized. In my opinion, what happened in Canada with the truckers was a clear violation of that charter. The painting shows us how fragile justice is. It can be swept away in an instant by some wizard.

This a 8″ x 10″ oil on canvas painted in 2015 and is not for sale.