Detail of Kroll, "Justice Triumphant", Dept of Justice - Washington DC
Description
The New Deal is responsible for a magnificent array of artworks that embellish the Department of Justice building. The Treasury Section of Fine Arts commissioned artists to create 68 murals between 1936 and 1941 for $68,000, or one percent of the building cost.
Leon Kroll painted two very large lunettes, “Justice Triumphant” and “Justice Defeated”, in 1936.
“In Justice Triumphant, two figures symbolize justice: a woman, and a black-robed Judge who is portrayed by Justice Harlan Stone. Justice Defeated represents the tragedy and havoc caused by the absence of justice. The atmosphere is dark, with dead trees, a threatening sky, and a barren landscape. Here, justice is symbolized by the woman: she has been over whelmed by the black-robed figure. The figure holds a mask with a serene ex pression, but behind that mask, we can see his true face, which is cold, cruel and vicious.” (GSA)
Kroll’s murals are located in the Attorney General’s conference room.
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Leon Kroll murals, "Justice Triumphant" and "Justice Defeated", Dept of Justice - Washington DC
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Detail of Kroll, "Justice Defeated", Dept of Justice - Washington DC
Source notes
U.S. Department of Justice, The Robert F. Kennedy Building: Celebrating Art and Architecture on the 75th Anniversary, 1934-2009, pp. 57-58.
Project originally submitted by New Deal Art Registry on December 30, 2014.
Additional contributions by Richard A Walker.
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