Existing comment:
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. |