Why is Lady Justice Normally Blindfolded?

Lady Justice’s origins date back to ancient mythology. She was known as Themis in Greek mythology and Justitia in Roman mythology. Both were goddesses of Justice and Law. As time passed, Lady Justice began to be depicted with scales. The scales represent impartiality. She also carries a sword that embodies power. The earliest Roman coins depicted Justitia with the sword in one hand and the scale in the other, but with her eyes uncovered.

Around the 1400’s, Lady Justice began to be depicted by artists and sculptors wearing a blindfold. The blindfold represents objectively. To possibly say that justice is or should be meted out objectively, without fear or favor, regardless of identity, money, power, or weakness; blind justice and impartiality.

There are still instances of Lady Justice without a blindfold. One of them can be found in one of the Supreme Court’s Courtroom frizzes sculpted by Adolph Weinman. Her piercing gaze is fixed on the forces of Evil and she is ready to act if she needs to against them.

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