Justice in her purity refuses to be diverted from the straight path by Riches and Fame. Thomas Stirling Lee (1857-1916). 1882-1901. Istrian stone. St. George's Hall, Liverpool. Justice has become a beautiful young woman here, turning from Riches with her crown, and with one arm raised against Fame, who wears a laurel crown and carries a laurel branch. The younger woman's purity is emphasized by her lack of garments, in contrast to the two other richly robed figures. Cavanagh adds, "The marked naturalism of the figure of Justice suggests that it was modelled directly from the life" (256).
Lee was originally commissioned to design 28 panels around the base of the hall, but less than half were completed, and not all” by Lee himself. Problems started with the first panel, one of a projected series of six showing "The Attributes and Results of Justice": it caused a furore, because "the child Justice" was nude — as was "the girl Justice" in the this panel (see Cavanagh 260-61). Lee was eventually allowed to continue that series, which is to the left of the central portico, and also designed two in a different series to the right of the portico, of which this representation of shipwrights is an example.
The remainder of the Progress of Justice series on Saint George's Hall
- Justice as a child of the poor, led by Understanding into the way of Wisdom. Joy following . . .
- Justice, having attained maturity, upholds the world, supported by Knowledge and Right
- Justice, able to stand alone, administers by the Sword
- Justice, relieved of her sword” by Virtue, and of her scales by Concord
- Justice receives the kiss of Righteousness
Photographs by Robert Freidus. text by Freidus and Jacqueline Banerjee. Perspective correction, formatting, and linking” by George P. Landow. [You may use these images without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite it in a print one.]
Bibliography
Cavanagh, Terry. The Public Sculpture of Liverpool. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 1996.
Last modified 1 November 2015