Lady Justice

THE ARTWORK OF GAINOR E. ROBERTS

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Lady Justice

Oil on canvas 18X24 Gallery Wrapped $800

I was inspired to paint Lady Justice for the May, 2019 show at Carrollwood Cultural Center which was described in the Call to Artists this way:

WOMEN who take Joyful Ownership (of their Value in the World) show is an art exhibition dedicated to works that primarily refer to Women and young Ladies, who have changed the world through their inner strength, perseverance, determination, courage, vulnerability, uniqueness and raw love. These women have made these every day changes with grace, humility, integrity and joy in their hearts.

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The Concept of Lady Justice is believed to have originated from the Egyptian Goddess of Fair Play, which the Greeks adopted as Themis, the Goddess and her Daughter Dika, as the Lady of Justice. The Romans, who were their contemporary political peers named the deity as Justitia/Iustitia and the Roman Sculptors made the initial elements of Open sword (Ready Justice), double blade (warning that justice will punish either party, fairly) and most significantly, the balance in the left hand indicating that fair trial of the case of both sides will be assured. Interestingly, variations of the theme are found across the Globe. Early depictions of Lady Justice didn’t show her blindfolded, which was added in the 1600s. The serpent, too, was added later, post Christianity, as it had become a symbol of evil.

Flowers have many meanings and I wanted a flower in this painting. So I embarked on an Internet journey to discover meanings and symbols. I discovered that the Gladiolus was so named for the shape of its leaves and it is often called the Sword Lily. The sword appellation comes from the Latin gladius and is associated with gladiators. Symbolism of this flower is “strength and moral integrity”. This seems like a fitting description of our own Lady Justice.

My painting process is to set up the painting in my studio and work from that as well as photographs of it. I can control the lighting with lamps and windows, and I usually keep it set up until the painting is finished, and often refer to the real thing when any confusion arises. This painting required an immense amount of work, research and attention to detail. I ordered the statue of Themis online and didn’t realize it was being sent from Greece until it arrived and I had to collect it from the Post Office. I knew it would be pretty small. The book came from Amazon and it was oversized and they looked ridiculous together so I had to scan the cover, reduce it and wrap it around a book in my library so they would coordinate. The Gladiolus that I wanted in the painting is a summer flower here and I could only find fake ones in the art stores, and they were huge. It was a big disappointment and I worked for days to figure out how to include it in the painting. Sometimes we get inspiration from on high, and when I cut out the silhouette of the flower and tacked it up on the background of the still life I knew I had my painting!

I have made my own “drapery” many times before and this time I found the seal of the Supreme Court in Google Images and used an iron-on transfer to make the fabric.

The story of Ruth Bader Ginsburg is an inspiration to all people, men and women alike, who have a calling beyond the ordinary. Her life has certainly not been easy, and her position on the Supreme Court has shaped the futures of countless citizens of this country as she has wielded the sword and balanced the scales of justice over and over during her tenure on the court.