BGuthrie Photos: DC -- Supreme Court Building -- Exhibit: Capturing Justice: Judicial Portraits by Augustus Saint-Gaudens

DC -- Supreme Court Building -- Exhibit: Capturing Justice: Judicial Portraits by Augustus Saint-Gaudens:

Bruce Guthrie Photos Home Page: [Click here] to go to Bruce Guthrie Photos home page.

Description of Pictures: Capturing Justice: Judicial Portraits by Augustus Saint-Gaudens
Through public monuments and memorials, Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848 – 1907) helped to establish American sculpture as a successful and popular art medium. Capturing Justice celebrates the sculptor's rich talent as seen in his depictions of Supreme Court Justices. The selected works illustrate the breadth of his technique and exemplify his talent for capturing the character of each individual. Included are works from the Supreme Court's collection, as well as from the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art and the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site.

Recognize anyone? If you recognize specific folks (or other stuff) and I haven't labeled them, please identify them for the world. Click the little pencil icon

underneath the file name (just above the picture). Spammers need not apply.

Copyrights: All pictures were taken by amateur photographer Bruce Guthrie (me!) who retains copyright on them. Free for non-commercial use with attribution. See the [Creative Commons] definition of what this means. "Photos (c) Bruce Guthrie" is fine for attribution. (Commercial use folks including AI scrapers can of course contact me.) Feel free to use in publications and pages with attribution but you don't have permission to sell the photos themselves. A free copy of any printed publication using any photographs is requested. Descriptive text, if any, is from a mixture of sources, quite frequently from signs at the location or from official web sites; copyrights, if any, are retained by their original owners.

Accessing as Spider: The system has identified your IP as being a spider.
IP Address: 18.227.24.209 -- Domain: Amazon Technologies
I love well-behaved spiders! They are, in fact, how most people find my site. Unfortunately, my network has a limited bandwidth and pictures take up bandwidth. Spiders ask for lots and lots of pages and chew up lots and lots of bandwidth which slows things down considerably for regular folk. To counter this, you'll see all the text on the page but the images are being suppressed. Also, some system options like merges are being blocked for you.
Note: Permission is NOT granted for spiders, robots, etc to use the site for AI-generation purposes. I'm sure you're thrilled by your ability to make revenue from my work but there's nothing in that for my human users or for me.
If you are in fact human, please email me at guthrie.bruce@gmail.com and I can check if your designation was made in error. Given your number of hits, that's unlikely but what the hell.

Help? The Medium (Email) links are for screen viewing and emailing. You'll want bigger sizes for printing. [Click here for additional help]

[1]

SCXCAP_150213_005.JPG

[2]

SCXCAP_150213_010.JPG

[3]

SCXCAP_150213_014.JPG

[4]

SCXCAP_150213_016.JPG

[5]

SCXCAP_150213_020.JPG

[6]

SCXCAP_150213_023.JPG

[7]

SCXCAP_150213_029.JPG

[8]

SCXCAP_150213_032.JPG

[9]

SCXCAP_150213_034.JPG

[10]

SCXCAP_150213_036.JPG

[11]

SCXCAP_150213_043.JPG

[12]

SCXCAP_150213_046.JPG

[13]

SCXCAP_150213_051.JPG

[14] SCXCAP_150213_056.JPG

[15] SCXCAP_150213_061.JPG

[16] SCXCAP_150213_063.JPG

[17]

SCXCAP_150213_066.JPG

[18]

SCXCAP_150213_070.JPG

[19] SCXCAP_150213_074.JPG

[20]

SCXCAP_150213_079.JPG

[21]

SCXCAP_150213_082.JPG

[22]

SCXCAP_150213_085.JPG

[23]

SCXCAP_150213_088.JPG

[24]

SCXCAP_150213_091.JPG

[25]

SCXCAP_150213_095.JPG

[26]

SCXCAP_150213_100.JPG

[27]

SCXCAP_150213_105.JPG

[28]

SCXCAP_150213_111.JPG

[29] SCXCAP_150213_114.JPG

[30]

SCXCAP_150213_117.JPG

Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. SCXCAP_150213_005.JPG: Capturing Justice: Judicial Portraits by Augustus Saint-Gaudens Through public monuments and memorials, Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848-1907) helped to establish American sculpture as a successful and popular art medium. Rejecting idealized subject matter, he emphasized the humanity of his subjects. This can be seen in his depictions of Supreme Court Justices, where he captures the character of his subjects and demonstrates his rich talent and unique attorney.
2. SCXCAP_150213_010.JPG: Saint-Gaudens' Contributions to American Sculpture
3. SCXCAP_150213_014.JPG: Humble Beginnings: Augustus Saint-Gaudens demonstrated artistic leanings from a young age. At the age of 13, he began an apprenticeship with Louis Avet, the first American stone cameo cutter. Avet was a demanding taskmaster and Saint-Gaudens spent long hours at a foot-pedaled lathe honing his carving skills. Although he would later describe the arduous apprenticeship as "composing a miserable slavery," the skills he developed as a cameo cutter later enabled him to create masterful relief portraits. Left: Saint-Gaudens at a cameo-lathe, c 1864.
4. SCXCAP_150213_016.JPG: From Craftsman to Artist: At 19, Saint-Gaudens became one of the first American sculptors to be accepted to the prestigious Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he was exposed to a new approach to sculpture. Rather than creating idealized figures, this new style focused on portraying realistic human forms. He took this style with him to Rome in 1870, where he joined a studio frequented by wealthy Americans on "Grand Tours" of Europe and developed a network of influential patrons. Left: Saint-Gaudens (center) on a hiking trip in Naples, 1871.
5. SCXCAP_150213_020.JPG: A New Appreciation for American Sculpture: The blossoming of Saint-Gaudens' career coincided with a public call for American Civil War monuments and memorials. In collaboration with several well-known architects, such as Stanford White, he completed a number of important works including the Farragut Monument in New York City and the Standing Lincoln in Chicago. These sculptured helped to rebuild national identify and establish American sculpture as a successful and popular art form. While his reputation grew from his public sculpture, Saint-Gaudens also excelled in a more intimate sculptural form: relief portraiture. Inspired by early Renaissance reliefs and a suggestion by artist John LaFarge to paint in bas-relief, Saint-Gaudens created popular portraits of close friends, patrons, and notable figures.
6. SCXCAP_150213_023.JPG: During the late nineteenth century, it was fashionable to purchase cameos as accessories, or keepsakes. Usually carved out of shell, stone, or gems, the depicted a wide range of subjects. Left: Portrait cameo of George Washington, c 1875.
7. SCXCAP_150213_029.JPG: Judicial Commissions: Saint-Gaudens' judicial portraits are examples of his fine artistry and illustrate the breadth of his sculptural work. A wide range of techniques were employed by the sculptor, including high relief, low relief, and sculpture in the round. While some works were carved in marble, others were cast in bronze. Chief Justice Roger B. Taney: When the bill to authorize a marble bust of Taney was introduced in 1865, it was met with outrage in the Senate Chamber. Senator Charles Sumner exclaimed, "I object to that; that now an emancipated country should make a bust to the author of the Dred Scott Decision." The bill was defeated, but a bust of Taney was later authorized in 1874. Saint-Gaudens was selected to create a "faithful copy of the head" from an existing statue of Taney by William H. Rinehart (1825-1874). Surprisingly, the bust was met with some artistic criticism when received. In reply, Saint-Gaudens wrote, "If there are any artistic defects in the work, which in justice to the deceased artist I do not feel free to speak of, they cannot be credited to me." Chief Justice Morrison R. Waite: Early patrons of Saint-Gaudens were instrumental in obtaining judicial commissions for the artist, and Senator William Evarts of New York was one of the most influential. When the bill to provide for a bust of the late Chief Justice Morrison R. Waite was introduced in the Senate in 188, he steered the commission to Saint-Gaudens. The bust was placed in the Supreme Court Chamber in the US Capitol in 1891. Today, it can be viewed upstairs in the Great Hall.
8. SCXCAP_150213_032.JPG: Chief Justice Roger B. Taney: When the bill to authorize a marble bust of Taney was introduced in 1865, it was met with outrage in the Senate Chamber. Senator Charles Sumner exclaimed, "I object to that; that now an emancipated country should make a bust to the author of the Dred Scott Decision." The bill was defeated, but a bust of Taney was later authorized in 1874. Saint-Gaudens was selected to create a "faithful copy of the head" from an existing statue of Taney by William H. Rinehart (1825-1874). Surprisingly, the bust was met with some artistic criticism when received. In reply, Saint-Gaudens wrote, "If there are any artistic defects in the work, which in justice to the deceased artist I do not feel free to speak of, they cannot be credited to me."
9. SCXCAP_150213_034.JPG: Chief Justice Morrison R. Waite: Early patrons of Saint-Gaudens were instrumental in obtaining judicial commissions for the artist, and Senator William Evarts of New York was one of the most influential. When the bill to provide for a bust of the late Chief Justice Morrison R. Waite was introduced in the Senate in 188, he steered the commission to Saint-Gaudens. The bust was placed in the Supreme Court Chamber in the US Capitol in 1891. Today, it can be viewed upstairs in the Great Hall.
10. SCXCAP_150213_036.JPG: The marble portrait of Justice Nelson exemplifies Saint-Guadens' talent for high relief. Here, the Justice's profile appears to project from the background. The long, flowing hair and wide sideburns also create a sense of depth that approaches three dimensions.
11. SCXCAP_150213_043.JPG: Associate Justice Samuel Nelson: Another of Saint-Guadens' early patrons was Edwin Wallace Stoughton, a distinguished New York lawyer. In the early 1870s, he sat for Saint-Gaudens and encouraged his good friend Justice Samuel Nelson to do so as well, but he declined. After Nelson's death in 1873, Stoughton commissioned this marble relief for his collection. Stylistic similarities in the reliefs of Stoughton and Nelson suggest the work may have been created in collaboration with Saint-Gaudens' younger brother, Louis, who was working with him in Rome.
12. SCXCAP_150213_046.JPG: Studio portrait of Justice Nelson by Mathew Brady, c 1860s
13. SCXCAP_150213_051.JPG: Relief of Edwin Wallace Stoughton, 1873. The relief may have been created in colaboration with Louis Saint-Gaudens.
14. SCXCAP_150213_066.JPG: Decoding a Relief Portrait: Saint-Gaudens' relief portraits have been described as a type of "short story." Through the use of symbols, inscriptions, and other personalized details, Saint-Gaudens reveals much about the sitter's character and accomplishments. The portrait of Associate Justice Horace Gray (right) serves as an example of how Saint-Gaundens was able to capture an individual's personality. When the portrait was modeled from life in 1901, Justice Gray was seventy-four years old and quite ill. Regardless, the portrait still captures his strength and severity. Symbols: The sculptor often included symbols associated with a sitter's occupation, in this case creating a stylized Seal of the Supreme Court of the United States in the upper left corner, a beautifully detailed judicial robe, a book of law, and a Bench chair. "The feeling for individuality, -- the modern idea that a man is not merely one of a species, but is a character, -- the caring less for the perfection of a race and more for the man himself as he is, with his defects as well as his merits, is one of the noticeable qualities of Saint-Gaudens' work." -- Kenyon Cox
15. SCXCAP_150213_070.JPG: Decoding a Relief Portrait: Inscriptions: Saint-Gaudens was interested in experimenting with calligraphy and he often included an inscription that spoke to the sitter's character or personality. Typically, he used Roman-style lettering punctuated by bullets. Here, a Latin inscription reads "MAJOR HAEREDITAS VENIT A JURE ET LEGIBUS" meaning "a richer heritage comes from law and precepts." Justice Gray was an early adoptee of the case-study method and relied on legal precedents (stare decisis, "let the decision stand") in his approach to the law. Given that this methodology had such a profound influence on Gray's work, the inscription selection is very fitting. Colored Patinas and Wax: Saint-Gaudens used patinas and wax to complement an image or evoke a mood. They vary greatly and include such colors as maroon, green, gold, silver, blue-gray, and brown. During conservation treatment of the portrait, a dark blue and green wax was discovered to have been applied. It is unknown if this wax was intended by Saint-Gaudens or added at a later date, but this appearance has been preserved.
16. SCXCAP_150213_079.JPG: Saint-Gaudens' Artistic Process: Relief portraiture is a challenging form of art to master because it is largely two-dimensional and requires great skill to create an illusion of depth. This is achieved by the play of light on the relief's shallow surface. The skills Saint-Gaudens developed as a cameo cutter enabled him to create low relief portraits that were as little as one-eight inch deep. Later in his career, Saint-Gaudens handled the creative aspect of his work and collaborated with craftsmen to carry out casting and carving. The following steps outline how Saint-Gaudens approached the creation of his relief portraits.
17. SCXCAP_150213_082.JPG: (1) Sketches and Drawings: Saint-Gaudens' design process began with sketches and drawings. To help visualize his ideas he often asked sitters to pose for him. If a sitter was unavailable, he used photographs as a reference.
18. SCXCAP_150213_085.JPG: (2) Clay Sketch: Translating his sketches and drawings into clay, Saint-Gaudens was able to experiment with his design while refining details and surface textures. Capturing a single gesture, such as the angle of a wrist, sometimes requires numerous attempts. Consequently, several clay sketches were often made for a single commission.
19. SCXCAP_150213_088.JPG: (3) Enlarged Plaster: The clay sketches were used to create a full-scale clay model that could then be cast in plaster. Key steps in the casting process included the creation of a negative mold and a positive cast. The negative mold was created by applying multiple layers of plaster to the clay model. Once the plaster hardened, it could be removed from the clay model and used to create a positive cast.
20. SCXCAP_150213_091.JPG: (4) Final Casting or Carving: The positive cast was then taken to a foundry for a final casting in bronze or to a craftsman to be carved into marble. Unlike many artists, Saint-Gaudens supervised the casting of his works and worked closely with foundries in experimenting with different patinas. A patina contributes to the overall color and texture of a work, and is achieved through the application of heat and acid solutions to form oxides that fuse when headed into the metal.
21. SCXCAP_150213_095.JPG: Low Relief Portraits: Between 1901 and 1904, Saint-Gaudens spent each spring in Washington, DC. In Reminiscences, Saint-Gaudens' son recalls his father's visit to the city: "Various little happenings of this Washington life diverted him thoroughly; the imposing Justices of the Supreme Court who he watched file into their court room during the spring he was modeling the relief of Justice Gray; the cozy dinners of Mr. Henry Adams' house, where witty talkers were always gathered..." Unlike the other judicial portraits, Justice Gray's portrait was not done posthumously. In addition to observing the Justice on the Bench, Saint-Gaudens met with Gray for a formal sitting. The portrait of Horace Gray was bequeathed to the Supreme Court in 1938 by the Justice's widow, Jane Gray. As seen in the photograph below, it hung in the Grays' Boston home until it was gifted to the Court.
22. SCXCAP_150213_100.JPG: Photograph of relief portrait in the Grays' home
23. SCXCAP_150213_105.JPG: Mold used to create the relief portrait, c 1904 Saint-Gaudens' approach to creating relief portraits involved multiple steps, including the creation of plaster molds. This negative mold was used to create the portrait of Justice Matthews and his wife.
24. SCXCAP_150213_111.JPG: Associate Justice Stanley Matthews and his wife Mary Ann (Black): Mrs. Gray was so pleased with her husband's relief portrait that she commissioned Saint-Gaudens to create a portrait of her late father and mother, Justice Stanley Matthews and Mary Ann (Black) Matthews. The portrait was meant to serve as a memento of her parents and is more intimate in composition than the portrait of Horace Gray, particularly in regard to the sitters' pose. The couple is shown seated on a sofa, and Justice Matthews' arm is behind his wife, evoking a sense of warmth.
25. SCXCAP_150213_117.JPG: Capturing Justice: Judicial Portraits by Augustus Saint-Gaudens
AAA "Gem": AAA considers this location to be a "must see" point of interest. To see pictures of other areas that AAA considers to be Gems, click here.
Bigger photos? To save server space, the full-sized versions of these images have either not been loaded to the server or have been removed from the server. (Only some pages are loaded with full-sized images and those usually get removed after three months.) I still have them though. If you want me to email them to you, please send an email to guthrie.bruce@gmail.com and I can email them to you, or, depending on the number of images, just repost the page again will the full-sized images.
Connection Not Secure messages? Those warnings you get from your browser about this site not having secure connections worry some people. This means this site does not have SSL installed (the link is http:, not https:). That's bad if you're entering credit card numbers, passwords, or other personal information. But this site doesn't collect any personal information so SSL is not necessary. Life's good!
Photo Contact: [Email Bruce Guthrie].