Supreme Court of the United States Frieze - Washington, DC
Posted by: 
saopaulo1
N 38° 53.438 W 077° 00.311
18S E 326093 N 4306550
A frieze on the pediment of the US Supreme Court Building.
Waymark Code: WM6DX5
Location: District of Columbia, United States
Date Posted: 05/18/2009
Views: 37
"The West Pediment, the sculptural group of nine figures above the entrance to the Supreme Court Building, is the work of artist Robert I. Aitken (1878 - 1949). The architect of the building, Cass Gilbert (1867 - 1934), recommended Aitken to the Supreme Court Building Commission and gave him free rein in choosing the subject matter for the sculpture, requesting only that the composition “be worthy of the great Supreme Court.” Mr. Aitken proposed a design incorporating nine allegorical figures, and described them as follows:
My simple Sculptural story is as follows: Liberty enthroned - looking confidently into the Future - across her lap the Scales of Justice - She is surrounded in the composition by two Guardian figures. On her right “Order”...On her left “Authority”...Then to the right and left...two figures each represent “Council.” Then to the right and left...two figures represent “Research” Past and Present." (
visit link)