BGuthrie Photos: DC -- Supreme Court Building -- Exhibit: America’s Temple of Justice

DC -- Supreme Court Building -- Exhibit: America’s Temple of Justice:

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

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: 52.15.63.145 -- 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]

Share: Facebook Twitter Digg
[1] SCXTEM_150819_001.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[2] SCXTEM_150819_009.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[3] SCXTEM_150819_010.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[4] SCXTEM_150819_013.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[5] SCXTEM_150819_015.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[6] SCXTEM_150819_017.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[7] SCXTEM_150819_020.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[8] SCXTEM_150819_023.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[9] SCXTEM_150819_035.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[10] SCXTEM_150819_040.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[11] SCXTEM_150819_043.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[12] SCXTEM_150819_045.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[13] SCXTEM_150819_047.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[14] SCXTEM_150819_049.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[15] SCXTEM_150819_052.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[16] SCXTEM_150819_055.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[17] SCXTEM_150819_060.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[18] SCXTEM_150819_062.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[19] SCXTEM_150819_064.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[20] SCXTEM_150819_068.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[21] SCXTEM_150819_071.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[22] SCXTEM_150819_074.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[23] SCXTEM_150819_078.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[24] SCXTEM_150819_082.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[25] SCXTEM_150819_084.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[26] SCXTEM_150819_087.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[27] SCXTEM_150819_090.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[28] SCXTEM_150819_093.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[29] SCXTEM_150819_095.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[30] SCXTEM_150819_101.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[31] SCXTEM_150819_104.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[32] SCXTEM_150819_107.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[33] SCXTEM_150819_110.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[34] SCXTEM_150819_113.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[35] SCXTEM_150819_117.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[36] SCXTEM_150819_119.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[37] SCXTEM_150819_121.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[38] SCXTEM_150819_124.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[39] SCXTEM_150819_126.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[40] SCXTEM_150819_129.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[41] SCXTEM_150819_132.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[42] SCXTEM_150819_135.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[43] SCXTEM_150819_137.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[44] SCXTEM_150819_141.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[45] SCXTEM_150819_143.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[46] SCXTEM_150819_146.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[47] SCXTEM_150819_148.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[48] SCXTEM_150819_150.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[49] SCXTEM_150819_153.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[50] SCXTEM_150819_156.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[51] SCXTEM_150819_158.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[52] SCXTEM_150819_160.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[53] SCXTEM_150819_163.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[54] SCXTEM_150819_166.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[55] SCXTEM_150819_169.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[56] SCXTEM_150819_170.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[57] SCXTEM_150819_172.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[58] SCXTEM_150819_173.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[59] SCXTEM_150819_176.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[60] SCXTEM_150819_181.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[61] SCXTEM_150819_183.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[62] SCXTEM_150819_185.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[63] SCXTEM_150819_187.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[64] SCXTEM_150819_189.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[65] SCXTEM_150819_191.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[66] SCXTEM_150819_193.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[67] SCXTEM_150819_195.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[68] SCXTEM_150819_197.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[69] SCXTEM_150819_199.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[70] SCXTEM_150819_205.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[71] SCXTEM_150819_208.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[72] SCXTEM_150819_210.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[73] SCXTEM_150819_213.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[74] SCXTEM_150819_215.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[75] SCXTEM_150819_218.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[76] SCXTEM_150819_221.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[77] SCXTEM_150819_223.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[78] SCXTEM_150819_227.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[79] SCXTEM_150819_229.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[80] SCXTEM_150819_232.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[81] SCXTEM_150819_234.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[82] SCXTEM_150819_236.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[83] SCXTEM_150819_239.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[84] SCXTEM_150819_242.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[85] SCXTEM_150819_245.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[86] SCXTEM_150819_249.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[87] SCXTEM_150819_251.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[88] SCXTEM_150819_254.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[89] SCXTEM_150819_257.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[90] SCXTEM_150819_259.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[91] SCXTEM_150819_262.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[92] SCXTEM_150819_267.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[93] SCXTEM_150819_269.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[94] SCXTEM_150819_272.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[95] SCXTEM_150819_274.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[96] SCXTEM_150819_277.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)
[97] SCXTEM_150819_280.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[98] SCXTEM_150819_283.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)	[99] SCXTEM_150819_286.JPG Medium (Email) (Bigger?)

Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. SCXTEM_150819_001.JPG: The Supreme Court Building: America's Temple of Justice "It must conform in design with the Capitol. It should be enduring. And Mrs. Taft says it should be easy to keep clean." -- Chief Justice William Taft to architect Cass Gilbert It the early 1790s, among the first tasks of the new federal government was to construct buildings to house its three branches in the future capital city of Washington. Work on the President's House and the United States capitol began quickly, but a building for the Supreme Court was postponed. Instead, when the Court moved to Washington in 1801, it borrowed space within the Capitol, a "temporary" measure that would last for the next 134 years. Finally, in October 1935, the Supreme Court Building, a structure that reflected the Court's fundamental role in the national government, became a reality.
2. SCXTEM_150819_010.JPG: First Monday: October 7, 1935: "Are there any admissions?" -- First words spoken by Chief Justice Hughes in the new courtroom The Supreme Court Building opened for the Court's first Term in its new home on October 7, 1935. Despite the historic nature of the day, no ceremony was held and no ribbon was cut. Promptly at noon, Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes and his colleagues entered the Courtroom and took their seats. The first order of business was admitting 114 attorneys, including 10 women, to the Supreme Court Bar. Next, the Justices heard motions from the Bar, the most notable involving New Deal legislation that was set to come before the Court that Term. At the conclusion of the 80 minute session, the Court adjourned until October 14, the first day scheduled for oral arguments. In the splendor of its new surroundings, it was business as usual for the Supreme Court of the United States.
3. SCXTEM_150819_023.JPG: Former Homes of the Court "A stranger might traverse the dark avenues of the Capitol for a week, without finding the remote corner in which Justice is administered to the American Republic..." -- New-York statesman, February 1824 As required by law, the Supreme Court meets at the seat of the federal government, wherever that may be. Therefore, as the capital city moved, the Justices met in New York City, then Philadelphia. In 1801, they convened for the first time in Washington, where they met in a committee room in the north wing of the United States Capital. By 1810, a proper courtroom had been constructed on the Capitol's ground floor, but the Court shared it with lower courts. This space was often criticized for its cool, damp conditions and ground floor location, but it met the Court's needs during its relatively short terms. In 1860, one year after the Senate relocated, its old chamber was converted into a courtroom for the Supreme Court. Despite the larger space, it became increasingly apparent that these quarters were inadequate for the long-term needs of the Court.
4. SCXTEM_150819_043.JPG: The John Marshall Bench Chair, c 1819
5. SCXTEM_150819_047.JPG: The John Marshall Bench Chair, c 1819
6. SCXTEM_150819_049.JPG: Site Selection "There is no sound reason why the court should be cooped up in a six-by-nine room in the Capitol. Let the court have a handsome home of its own." -- Wilmington (DE) News, January 1899 While proposals to relocate the Court surfaced throughout the nineteenth century, it is unclear when the current site was first suggested. By the mid-1870s, the area to the north of the future Library of Congress had been mentioned as a potential location for the Supreme Court. While the Library was completed in 1897, the Justices continued to meet in the former Senate Chamber. In 1902, the influential McMillan Plan, a comprehensive study for the future development of downtown Washington, endorsed the previously suggested location. Five years later, the Architect of the Capitol announced plans for a grand "Temple of Justice" to house the Court on the same site. Although the land had yet to be acquired by the federal government, there was now an association between the site and a future Court building.
7. SCXTEM_150819_052.JPG: History of the Site: The site approved for the future Supreme Court Building encompassed squares 727 and 728 of Pierre L'Enfant's 1792 plan for the City of Washington. With the Capitol being built nearby, several small structures were erected on the squares, including a tavern. In 1814, the British burned the Capitol and a temporary structure to house Congress was built on the site. Designed by Benjamin Latrobe, it was dubbed the "Brick Capitol." This building later served as a boarding house. During the Civil War, the federal government converted it into a jail, known as the Capitol Prison. After the war, the interior of this building was gutted and it was remodeled into three large row houses, known as Trumball's Row,. In 1921, the National Woman's Party purchased Trumbull's Row. At the time, it was one of approximately 200 structures, mostly residential, on the Court's future site.
8. SCXTEM_150819_055.JPG: The Old Brick Capitol July 4, 1815 the cornerstone of the Old Brick Capitol built by Washington citizens to house the Congress was laid on this site. The Congress met here from December 13, 1815 through March 3, 1819. President Monroe was inaugurated here in 1817 establishing the custom of public inaugurals. National Capital Sesquicentennial Commission 1950 Reproduction of the bronze historical marker located on the Court's front plaza commemorating the site of the Old Brick Capitol.
9. SCXTEM_150819_062.JPG: These three houses formed the brick Capitol, where Congress met from 1815-17, and where James Monroe was Inaugurated President. John C. Calhoun died here in 1850. It was used as a Prison during the Civil War.
10. SCXTEM_150819_068.JPG: Plaster Bust of William Howard Taft by Bryant Parker, taken from life, 1922. Bronze bas-relief of architect Cass Gilbert, c. 1902.
11. SCXTEM_150819_071.JPG: Copy of bill H.R. 3864, authorizing funding for the Supreme Court Building.
12. SCXTEM_150819_074.JPG: Plans Become Reality "Plans have been adopted in the past... but the conservatism of some of the members, especially the Chief Justices, has interfered with the successful passing of the bill. [Now] a majority of the Court is strongly in favor of the construction of a separate building..." -- Chief Justice Taft to Senator Reed Smoot, July 1925 In 1921, former President William Howard Taft became Chief Justice of the United States. Long interested in the development of the City of Washington, Taft learned of pending legislation in Congress to provide funds for the construction of new federal buildings. He successfully lobbied to have a building for the Supreme Court included among them, and in 1926, Congress authorized the acquisition of the proposed site. To show the Court's support for the project, Taft testified before the House Committee on Public Buildings on May 16, 1928, and stated that the Justices had voted 5-4 in favor of a new building. By the end of the year, Taft's hard work, in coordination with Justice Willis Van Devanter, culminated in the creation of the United States Supreme Court Building Commission to oversee the project. Following the approval of the preliminary plans and estimates, Congress authorized $9,740,000, on December 20, 1929, for construction.
13. SCXTEM_150819_095.JPG: Taft Moves Forward: In 1926, while Chief Justice Taft worked to secure funding from Congress, he also began working privately with Cass Gilbert to develop plans for the building. Working without a contract, Gilbert revised an earlier design started by the late Henry Bacon, but soon changed the building into his own classically inspired "Temple of Justice." Once the Building Commission was formed, its first action was to officially name an architect. At the suggestion of Taft, Gilbert was appointed in 1929. Shortly thereafter, a plaster model and conceptual plans were unveiled and approved by the Building Commission and the Fine Arts Commission. While negotiating his contract for architectural and engineering services, Gilbert insisted that two other members of his firm be included on the contract: his only son, Cass Gilbert Jr., and his longtime associate, John R. Rockart.
14. SCXTEM_150819_104.JPG: Cass Gilbert kept the pen he used to sign the contract for the Supreme Court Building as a memento. Beside the pen is a copy of the last page of that contract, Gilbert's business card, and the stamp used to mark the project blueprints.
15. SCXTEM_150819_107.JPG: Construction Begins: While Gilbert finalized the plans, Chief Justice Taft's health was deteriorating. He retired on February 3, 1930. His successor, Charles Evans Hughes, was confirmed by the Senate and sworn in as Chief Justice in three weeks. Taft died on March 8 at the age of 73, and while his body lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda, Gilbert's plaster model of the building that Taft had envisioned was exhibited nearby. On April 1, 1930, the government gave notice to all tenants living on the site to vacate, and by the end of the year the site was cleared. In November 1931, the George A. Fuller Company, of Chicago, Illinois, was awarded the main construction contract with a low bid of $8,383,000. The plans called for the use of large quantities of marble from Vermont, Georgia and Alabama. To give the Courtroom distinction, the architects selected imported marble from Italy, Spain, and Algeria.
16. SCXTEM_150819_113.JPG: Invitation to architect Cass Gilbert and his wife to attend the Cornerstone Ceremony along with a program from the ceremony.
17. SCXTEM_150819_119.JPG: Silver trowel used in the ceremony
18. SCXTEM_150819_124.JPG: The Cornerstone Laying Ceremony: On October 13, 1832, with its half-finished marble walls rising above the crowd, the Supreme Court Building was dedicated at a Cornerstone Laying Ceremony. Sponsored by the American Bar Association (ABA), the ceremony was attended by several thousand people, including President Herbert Hoover.
19. SCXTEM_150819_126.JPG: Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes gives the Court's response
20. SCXTEM_150819_129.JPG: Scaling Back the Design: Construction moved forward during the Great Depression, which greatly decreased the costs for material and labor. The steel superstructure, clad with marble, rose quickly from the foundation. In early 1932, the Building Commission asked Architect of the Capitol, David Lynn, to direct the architects to seek cost-saving measures wherever possible without sacrificing any of the building's essential features. Modifications reduced the number of elevators, eliminated the marble walls and floors in the utilitarian areas of the building, and deleted additional decorative embellishments on the interior. Carved inscriptions in many locations were also eliminated, but the two main ones on the exterior were kept: "EQUAL JUSTICE UNDER LAW" and "JUSTICE THE GUARDIAN OF LIBERTY." By 1934, despite delays caused by striking workers, the exterior of the building was substantially complete and interior work was well under way.
21. SCXTEM_150819_137.JPG: The Great Hall
22. SCXTEM_150819_141.JPG: The Great Hall
23. SCXTEM_150819_143.JPG: The Courtroom
24. SCXTEM_150819_146.JPG: The Courtroom
25. SCXTEM_150819_148.JPG: The Library's Main Reading Room
26. SCXTEM_150819_150.JPG: The Library's Main Reading Room
27. SCXTEM_150819_158.JPG: Finishing the Work: As the building neared completion, Cass Gilbert died of a heart attack of May 17, 1934, during a trip to England. "I think that the Supreme Court Building," stated Chief Justice Hughes, "will be a lasting memorial to his great ability." The project's other architects, Cass Gilbert Jr. and John R. Rockart, managed the project to completion and designed the furniture for the building. Due to earlier cost-saving measures, all of the furniture, lighting, carpers, and other fixtures were funded out of the original appropriation, yet almost $94,000 was returned to the US Treasury. On April 4, 1935, the government took occupancy of the building, but the Court did not move until the Term ended in June. Staff moved in over the summer and fall as the final details were completed. Despite ongoing work, the building was opened to the public, and welcomed nearly 85,000 visitors before the Court's first sitting in October 1935.
28. SCXTEM_150819_163.JPG: A Place of History "Year following year, and century following century, ambitious youth shall look upon this stately building and rejoice that the paths of opportunity are here kept open equally to all." -- Guy A. Thompson, at the cornerstone ceremony, October 1932 Since its completion in 1935, the Supreme Court Building has provided a setting for significant events in American life. Its monumental character provides an appropriate stage for the Court to play its fundamental role in ensuring the Rule of Law in the United States. And while Justices arrive and depart, the building remains as a testament to the high principle of the words carved above its entrance, "EQUAL JUSTICE UNDER LAW."
29. SCXTEM_150819_169.JPG: A Place of Tradition "The Republic endures and this is a symbol of its faith." -- Chief Justice Hughes at the cornerstone ceremony, 1932 Chief Justice William Howard Taft's dream of a dignified home for the third branch of government was fulfilled by Cass Gilbert's design of a classically inspired "Temple of Justice." Drawing on the rich traditions of ancient civilizations, Gilbert created a space for the important work of the Court to unfold in a somber and dignified setting. Now, after more than 75 years, the building has become not only a physical home for the Supreme Court but a powerful symbol in its own right.
30. SCXTEM_150819_172.JPG: Architectural Ornamentation by John Donnelly, Inc. The father and son team of John Donnelly Sr. and Jr., had a long association with Cass Gilbert. he depended no them to ensure the highest quality of architectural ornamentation. Gilbert reportedly took great interest in the modeling created for the building, even doing some of it himself. Overall, the Donnelly firm produced over 300 models, from the American eagles atop the two flagpoles on the plaza to the repeating reliefs in the metopes of the Great Hall.
31. SCXTEM_150819_176.JPG: Symbols of Justice: As expected in a temple dedicated to the law, the personified figure of Justice and the symbols associated with her play a central role in the sculptural program. This is made clear below the East Pediment where the words "JUSTICE THE GUARDIAN OF LIBERTY" are chiseled into the marble. The ancient goddess, also known as Themis, is depicted with and without a blindfold, a symbol of impartiality. She is often shown holding scales to weigh the two sides of a dispute. A sword, symbolic of enforcement, is usually not far from her side. These symbols are found in all of the building's major sculptures and are integrated elsewhere into its architectural ornamentation.
32. SCXTEM_150819_181.JPG: Contemplation of Justice by James Earle Frazer The female figure seated to the left of the main staircase, Contemplation of Justice, complements Fraser's work, Authority of Law, on the opposite side. He described this figure as sitting in an "attitude... of meditation" while under her left hand rests a book of laws and her right hand "rests on a small model of a figure of Justice." In this work, Fraser captures the essence of the act each judge undertakes in deciding cases.
33. SCXTEM_150819_183.JPG: Vice and Crime Corruption Slander Deception Despotic Power
34. SCXTEM_150819_185.JPG: Justice Divine Inspiration Truth
35. SCXTEM_150819_187.JPG: Defense of Virtue Wisdom Justice
36. SCXTEM_150819_189.JPG: Society Harmony Peace Charity Defense of Virtue
37. SCXTEM_150819_191.JPG: The Bronze Doors by John Donnelly, Jr. The building's monumental entrance doors depict the evolution of Western law in eight panels. Important lawgivers are depicted, from Justinian ordering the laws to be codified to King John sealing the Magna Carta. The last panel shows Chief Justice John Marshall and Justice Joseph Story, thus connecting the Supreme Court to these ancient traditions. Donnelly, known largely as an architectural sculptor, signed his name on the doors, reportedly the only time he did so in his career.
38. SCXTEM_150819_193.JPG: The Lawgivers: Important lawgivers have been depicted at courthouses for centuries. Lawgivers symbolize the evolution of law and the respect for precedent. In effect, they represent the idea that each judge builds upon the work of those who have come before. In the sculptural program at the Supreme Court, both ancient and modern lawgivers were incorporated to link the proceedings of the present Court with the long traditions of the law. The written law is symbolized by books, tablets, and scrolls. Knowledge and wisdom imparted in these laws are symbolized by owls, lamps, and torches, which shine the light of reason.
39. SCXTEM_150819_195.JPG: The East Pediment by Hermon MacNeil MacNeil pays homage to the lawgivers from Eastern cultures at the center of his pediment sculpture. "Law as an element of civilization," he wrote, "was normally and naturally derived or inherited in this country from former civilizations. The 'Eastern Pediment' of the Supreme Court Building suggests therefore the treatment of such fundamental laws and precepts as are derived from the East. Moses, Confucius, and Solon are chosen as representing three great civilizations and form the central group of this Pediment."
40. SCXTEM_150819_197.JPG: Fame Menes Hammurabi
41. SCXTEM_150819_199.JPG: Hammurabi Moses Authority Solomon
42. SCXTEM_150819_205.JPG: Solomon Lycurgus Solon Light of Wisdom Draco
43. SCXTEM_150819_208.JPG: Draco Confucius Octavian History
44. SCXTEM_150819_210.JPG: Liberty and Peace Napoleon John Marshall
45. SCXTEM_150819_213.JPG: John Marshall Blackstone Right of Man Hugo Grotius Louis IX
46. SCXTEM_150819_215.JPG: Louis IX King John Equity Charlemagne
47. SCXTEM_150819_218.JPG: Muhammad Justinian Philosophy
48. SCXTEM_150819_221.JPG: The West Pediment by Robert Aitken Aitken described his work above the main entrance as "... 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.' Or 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."
49. SCXTEM_150819_223.JPG: Model of one of the Lions' Heads that are located on the exterior of the building, c 1933
50. SCXTEM_150819_227.JPG: Symbols of Authority: Article III of the Constitution places the judicial power of the United States in "one Supreme Court, an din such inferior Courts" as Congress may create from time to time. In the 1930s, the Court's 145 years of decision-making had made it one of the most powerful judicial bodies in the world. Cass Gilbert and the sculptors who worked no the project understood, therefore, that the Supreme Court Building would become the symbolic home of the Federal Judiciary. To emphasize the Court's authority to decide cases under the Constitution, the sculptors incorporated legal themes and symbols as well as powerful figures throughout the sculptural program. Some of the symbols traditionally associated with authority are the lions' heads, swords, shields, and fasces, an ancient Roman symbol of authority.
51. SCXTEM_150819_229.JPG: Plaster model of the head of Authority of Laws, c 1933
52. SCXTEM_150819_232.JPG: Authority of Law by James Earle Fraser Fraser also turned to the theme of authority in his large male figure seated to the right of the main staircase, Authority of Law. Fraser described this figure as "waiting with concentrated attention, holding in his left hand the tablet of laws, backed by the sheathed sword, symbolic of enforcement through law."
53. SCXTEM_150819_234.JPG: Defense of Human Rights and Protection of Innocence
54. SCXTEM_150819_236.JPG: Wisdom The Majesty of Law The Power of Government
55. SCXTEM_150819_239.JPG: Statecraft Safeguard of the Liberties and Rights of the People
56. SCXTEM_150819_242.JPG: Symbolizing the Law: " 'Ad astra!' my dear Aitken. I expect a masterpiece from you! A composition that will be worthy of the great Supreme Court -- stately, serene, calm, well balanced and yet vital and interesting." -- Cass Gilbert to Robert Aitken, July 1932 Cass Gilbert did not design the Supreme Court Building singlehandedly. While its final design is uniquely his, a team of draftsmen, modelers and sculptors helped to develop its complex architectural details. Gilbert focused on the overall function and design, leaving the symbolism to the individual sculptors as long as their work was in keeping with the overall classical style. To ensure the desired effect, he insisted on selecting the modelers and sculptors rather than allow the work to be awarded through the government's bid process. With the approval of the Building Commission, he chose five prominent artists who created the rich sculptural program that reflects the iconography of the Supreme Court. Like the overall architectural style, the symbols they used were drawn from a long tradition in which symbols of Justice, Authority, and portrayals of the Great Lawgivers had been adorning courts of law for centuries.
57. SCXTEM_150819_245.JPG: Cass Gilbert's Solution: By the 1920s, Cass Gilbert had designed buildings in a wide range of styles, selecting what he thought was the best architectural solution for a given project after careful study. From the start of his work on the Supreme Court, he and Chief Justice Taft envisioned a classically inspired "Temple of Justice." With the Building Commission's direction that the building must be harmonious with the other buildings on Capitol Hill, he had few options and turned to the monumental neoclassical style prevalent in other federal buildings in Washington. He understood that the Supreme Court Building might be his most important and lasting work and wanted it to take its place among the great buildings of history, like the Parthenon, the Pantheon, and the US Capitol. He succeeded with a masterful approach which progresses through the central temple, using the three architectural orders: the Corinthian in the portico, the Doric in the Great Hall, and the Ionic in the Courtroom, the evoke a sense of reverence and drama for the Nation's highest court.
58. SCXTEM_150819_249.JPG: Cass Gilbert, 1933 by Robert Aitken
59. SCXTEM_150819_251.JPG: Cass Gilbert
60. SCXTEM_150819_254.JPG: The Beaux-Arts Influence: During the late 19th century, architects were deeply influenced by the Beaux-Arts movement. Relying on the traditions of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts (School of Fine Arts) in Paris, France, the approach studied classical architecture from antiquity through the Renaissance and emphasized the use of classical and neoclassical forms. In the United States, the Beaux-Arts approach was first introduced on a large scale at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois. At this fair, architects and artists created the "Great White City," a landscape filled with monumental neoclassical buildings which impacted American architecture through the 1920s. The ideas from the fair were put to practical use in the "City Beautiful" movement that directly influenced the development of the Nation's Capital, culminating in the McMillan Plan of 1902. Although Cass Gilbert did not attend the influential Ecole nor did he play a large role at the Exposition, he embodied the Beaux-Arts philosophy and used its approach in the design of public buildings throughout his career.
61. SCXTEM_150819_257.JPG: Courthouse Architecture: The idea of using the temple form in monumental public buildings is not new. The architecture of ancient Greece and Rome was adapted by subsequent Western cultures in their public buildings to convey the authority of the ruling establishment. In many European countries, these styles were applied to courts of law, thus becoming "Palaces of Justice," where the temple form was used to honor the law. In America, the architecture of public buildings was less elaborate than that of their European counterparts, as first seen in Thomas Jefferson's 1786 design for the Virginia State Capitol. Subsequently, many courthouses drew upon the same classical sources, especially during the Greek Revival period of the 1830s and 1840s. The result was hundreds of classically inspired courthouses with columned porticos throughout the country, symbolizing democratic government based on the Rule of Law.
62. SCXTEM_150819_259.JPG: Designing the Courthouse: "Congress has at last provided and the genius of a great architect has planned a permanent home for the Court that in beauty and in dignity is fully worthy of the institution it is designed to house and worthy, too, of the architectural company it keeps." -- John W. Davis at the cornerstone ceremony, October 1932 Cass Gilbert's design for the Supreme Court Building centers on a classically inspired Greco-Roman temple. A grand staircase, flanked by allegorical statues, leads to a Corinthian portico with a triangular pediment. The prominence of the ceremonial temple over the administration wings signifies their relative importance to the functions of the Court. Gilbert's use of white marble and classical architectural elements links his design to a long line of buildings dating from antiquity to those on Capitol Hill. In this way, he shows that the building, like the law it serves, is built upon precedent. Using a Beaux-Arts approach, Gilbert drew from these sources for inspiration to create a powerful, symbolic home for the Supreme Court of the United States.
63. SCXTEM_150819_262.JPG: "I want to make this the most perfect and complete monumental building possible, it must... have all the beauty, charm and dignity of the Lincoln Memorial, and all the practical qualities of a first-rate office building -- a combination rather difficult to achieve, but nevertheless possible." -- Architect Cass Gilbert, January 1929 "The place is almost bombastically pretentious, and thus seems to me wholly inappropriate for a quiet group of old boys such as the Supreme Court of the United States." -- Justice Harlan F. Stone, May 1935 An Architect's Perspective: "The new Supreme Court Building makes me think of ice cubes -- millions and millions of them. To me the building is cold, very, very, cold." -- Harry Francis Cunningham, AIA A Layman's Perspective: "I have just visited the Parthenon of America's Acropolis -- the new Supreme Court building. Even in the gray light of a raw Autumn day, the building's yards and yards of white marble blaze like a plain of February snow." -- Unattributed "They don't call it the palace of justice in this country, but the Supreme Court's nearly completed new building is just that -- a $10,000,000 palace of gleaming white marble, gold leaf, carved oak and chrome-fitted baths." -- Burlington (IA) Hawkeye, May 1935 "That building is beautiful. But it will isolate the court from the people even more than it is isolated now. Only a few will even get a peek at them, and on such a setting they will be portrayed as supermen." -- Rep. Eugene B. Crowe (D-IN), June 1935 "Thus opens a new chapter in my career and at 70 years of age I am now to undertake to carry through the most important and notable work of my life..." -- Cass Gilbert, December 1929
64. SCXTEM_150819_267.JPG: "I want to make this the most perfect and complete monumental building possible, it must... have all the beauty, charm and dignity of the Lincoln Memorial, and all the practical qualities of a first-rate office building -- a combination rather difficult to achieve, but nevertheless possible." -- Architect Cass Gilbert, January 1929 "The place is almost bombastically pretentious, and thus seems to me wholly inappropriate for a quiet group of old boys such as the Supreme Court of the United States." -- Justice Harlan F. Stone, May 1935
65. SCXTEM_150819_269.JPG: An Architect's Perspective: "The new Supreme Court Building makes me think of ice cubes -- millions and millions of them. To me the building is cold, very, very, cold." -- Harry Francis Cunningham, AIA A Layman's Perspective: "I have just visited the Parthenon of America's Acropolis -- the new Supreme Court building. Even in the gray light of a raw Autumn day, the building's yards and yards of white marble blaze like a plain of February snow." -- Unattributed "They don't call it the palace of justice in this country, but the Supreme Court's nearly completed new building is just that -- a $10,000,000 palace of gleaming white marble, gold leaf, carved oak and chrome-fitted baths." -- Burlington (IA) Hawkeye, May 1935 "That building is beautiful. But it will isolate the court from the people even more than it is isolated now. Only a few will even get a peek at them, and on such a setting they will be portrayed as supermen." -- Rep. Eugene B. Crowe (D-IN), June 1935
66. SCXTEM_150819_272.JPG: "They don't call it the palace of justice in this country, but the Supreme Court's nearly completed new building is just that -- a $10,000,000 palace of gleaming white marble, gold leaf, carved oak and chrome-fitted baths." -- Burlington (IA) Hawkeye, May 1935 "That building is beautiful. But it will isolate the court from the people even more than it is isolated now. Only a few will even get a peek at them, and on such a setting they will be portrayed as supermen." -- Rep. Eugene B. Crowe (D-IN), June 1935 "Thus opens a new chapter in my career and at 70 years of age I am now to undertake to carry through the most important and notable work of my life..." -- Cass Gilbert, December 1929
67. SCXTEM_150819_274.JPG: A Symbolic Temple of Justice: "For this temple of noble proportions, an achievement of the most distinguished architectural skill... finds its chief distinction as a national symbol. It symbolizes the national ideal of justice in the highest sphere of activity..." -- Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes at the cornerstone ceremony, October 1932 When the Supreme Court Building opened in October 1935, many saw it as a symbol of hope for a National struggling through the Great Depression. Others saw it as an unnecessary and extravagant "marble palace" for "nine old men." Whether acclaimed or criticized, the building's design combines the power and authority of classical architecture with the symbolic ideals of law and justice. Together, they create a dignified atmosphere for the work of the Nation's highest court -- a temple for American Justice.
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.
Description of Subject Matter: The Supreme Court Building: America’s Temple of Justice:
The Supreme Court of the United States celebrates the 75th anniversary of the construction of the Supreme Court Building with an exhibition commemorating its history and sculptural program. For the first 145 years of the Supreme Court’s existence, the head of the third branch of government lacked a permanent home of its own. Since the completion of the building in 1935, it has become a symbol of Justice in America.
Through the use of period photographs and objects relating to the early history of the Supreme Court, visitors will learn about the Court’s “temporary” homes in various government buildings, the increasing need for the Court to have a home of its own, and Chief Justice William Howard Taft’s role in the construction of the building.
In addition, the exhibition explores the evolution of architect Cass Gilbert’s design, as well as the sculptural and symbolic treatment used throughout the building’s architecture. Several original plaster models aid in the discussion of the symbolism of this iconic building.
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.
2015 photos: I retired from the US Census Bureau in god-forsaken Suitland, Maryland on my 58th birthday in May. Yee ha! Trips this year: a quick trip to Florida. two Civil War Trust conferences (Raleigh, NC and Richmond, VA), and my 10th consecutive San Diego Comic-Con trip (including Los Angeles). Ego Strokes: Carolyn Cerbin used a Kevin Costner photo in her USA Today article. Miss DC pictures were used a few times in the Washington Post. Equipment this year: I mostly used my Fuji XS-1 camera but, depending on the event, I also used a Nikon D7000. Number of photos taken this year: just over 550,000.
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].