Courtroom Friezes:
                                                East and West Walls

                                   INFORMATION SHEET

  The architect of the Supreme Court building, Cass Gilbert (1867­1934), selected Adolph
  A. Weinman (1870­1952), a noted Beaux-Arts architectural sculptor of the period who had
  studied under Augustus Saint-Gaudens, to design the friezes that adorn the walls of the
  Courtroom.  Weinman's training stressed that a sculpture's subject matter should correlate
  with the function of the building in which it was to be placed.  In this case, he designed
  friezes portraying both allegorical representations of Law, on the East and West walls,
  and historical lawgivers, on the North and South walls.  It was common practice during
  this period to allow the sculptor artistic freedom to create art that would fit within the
  framework of the architect's vision of the building.  Thus, Weinman's choice of symbols and
  figures were his own and reflected his training in the classical and Beaux-Arts traditions.

  The East wall frieze is located directly above the Bench and focuses on two male figures
  that represent the Majesty of Law and the Power of Government.  According to a letter
  from Weinman to Gilbert, the tablet between them symbolizes the first ten amendments
  to the Constitution, also known as the Bill of Rights.  The allegorical figures standing on
  either side of the central figures symbolize Wisdom, on the left, and Justice, on the right.
  Weinman described the figures grouped to the right side as the Safeguard of the Liberties
  and Rights of the People in their pursuit of Happiness and those on the left side as
  The Defense of Human Rights and Protection of Innocence (below).


                               The East Wall Frieze




                                                                             

The Defense of Human Rights and                                                  Safeguard of the Liberties and Rights
                                     Wisdom                      Justice
    Protection of Innocence                                                         of the People in their Pursuit of
                                                                                              Happiness


                                   The Majesty                   The Power of
                                     of Law                      Government




                      Office of the Curator     Supreme Court of the United States
                                               Updated: 8/18/2000



            According to Weinman, the theme of the West wall frieze is the struggle between Good and
            Evil.  In this sculpture, the central female figures, Justice and  Divine Inspiration,
            are flanked by representations of  Wisdom, with an owl perched on his shoulder, and
            Truth, holding a mirror and a rose.  Moving to the left from the central figures, the
            "Powers of Good" are Defense of Virtue, Charity, Peace, Harmony and Security.  The
            "Powers of Evil", moving to the right, are Corruption, Slander, Deception and Despotic
            Power.  Justice, leaning on her sword, has her head turned to keep a watchful eye on the
            Powers of Evil.


                                                  The West Wall Frieze

                 "The Powers of Good"                                                            "The Powers of Evil"





                                                                                                                                            

Security                                          Wisdom                                            Truth                                       Despotic
                                                                                                                                                 Power

                                                                                         Figures entangled
   Harmony                                                                                   with snake,                                  Deception
                                                                                         representing Evil.
                                                 Defender
                 Peace                           of Virtue
                                                                                                         Corruption                Slander

                        Charity

                                                                                          Divine
                                                        Justice                         Inspiration










                                        Office of the Curator     Supreme Court of the United States
                      All photographs by Franz Jantzen unless otherwise noted.  Collections of the Supreme Court of the United States.