The Sculptors Dominion

Chisel & Pen

International Culture, Sculpture, Script and Poetics
[now accepting submissions from sculptors only, all Countries welcome]
An online publicaton as well as an annual issue each January. Selected writings below will be featured.
Would you like to submit writings on sculpture, critique, essay or poetics? Would you like to submit a photo of your sculpture, large scale preferred.
What country are you from? INTERNATIONAL TALENT AND WORDS WELCOMED. Sculptors and writers/poets please represent your country here.
Open to subjects of sculpture, fine arts and literature/ poetics which are generally related to the 'arts' historically or contemporarily. Response articles/ essays welcomed where well thought out and articulated.
For sculpture and related articles submit to... Gilbert E Barrera, Publisher: gilbertebarrera@mac.com
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From Original Article by Gilbert E. Barrera, Sculptor
Submitted 12.13.2008

On my sculpture of a Lady Justice and the restoration of the 1896 cast iron fountain it stands on.

The Lady Justice Sculpture and Fountain Story
Bexar County Courthouse - San Antonio, Texas

Worldwide she is more recognizable than the Statue of Liberty.
Almost every courthouse on 7 continents exhibit her image.

Gilbert E Barrera, Sculptor / Author; 210 696-9813; gilbertebarrera@mac.com

LADY JUSTICE
Lady Justice was originally known as the goddess Themis which means ‘order’. She began in Greek mythology about 800 B.C. as one of the Titan gods. Each god held the power of law and Themis was goddess of ‘the divine order of the natural world’. She ordered and organized things like the seasons; i.e., winter follows summer follows spring (…no Fall in Greek mythology). She also planned and ordered the path of a person’s life such as its beginning and end. It followed that Caesars, Kings, aristocracy and ordinary people sought her advice and council on things like farming, war, love, work and marriage.

In antiquity she was a predominant and coveted authority of prophecy, advice and law. She is credited as being the first counselor and the first oracle at Delphi, even before Apollo, and even in a male dominated world. Around 22 A.D. she first appeared on Roman coins as the Roman goddess Justitia, ‘Justice’, and around the 15th century became known as Lady Justice.

Her Design … Themis’ sister or half sister depending on what school you research is Aphrodite. There are numerous art representations of the ancient Aphrodite(s) in both sculpture and painting. But there are few if any representations of Themis in antiquity. Artistically it is appropriate that Themis visual traits should look similar to her sister Aphrodite.

Classical beauty in antiquity means the correct use of proportion, dignity, emotion and power. Moreover the classical figurative portrayal of goddesses by both the Greek and Romans during ancient times has been bare or barely draped which was a sign of virtue, or good or justice. The Themis/Lady Justice of sculptor Gilbert E. Barrera is a created as a Greco-Roman version of the first Aphrodite of around 350 B.C. (i.e., the Knidos Aphrodite). It is in composition with the art styles of the master Greek sculptors of antiquity, (i.e., encompassing a Polykleitean ‘contropasto’ and Praxitelean ‘S-Curve’). It is to portray her as she may have been created in the time of her popularity from 800 B.C. to 1 B.C. Across Europe and even today this is a time-honored composition. Barrera’s virtuous composition and portrayal of Lady Justice is the first of its kind for a Lady Justice world around.

In art beauty is a manifestation of compositional arrangement, proportion and design. The compositional accessories of Themis were fashioned in concert with the Roman symbols of Justicia and including the blindfold first added around the 14th century. She has – a blindfold, balance scales, and a soldiers sword of that period; plus two added imaginative art symbols, the circle (or sphere) represented by the earth and lastly the curvilinear line as a wind spirited ‘ribbon’ representing the sky.

She is approximately 4 feet in height and weighs about 120 lbs. in bronze.

Her Symbols … Lady Justice is the symbol of the law. Her accessory classic symbols are the blindfold, sword and scales. Here they are gilded in gold to accent them as the established symbols of Lady Justice. There are also two artist added creations: a sky ribbon and the earth.

The Blindfold… first appeared in the fifteenth century. The blindfold represents decisions of objectivity and/or impartial decision or a decision not influenced by wealth, politics, popularity or infamy etc. Here the composition of sculptor Barrera offers the blindfold with a slight space under the eyes where it could be implied that Justice may have peeked and not been impartial.

The Scales of Justice … represent that Lady Justice carefully weighs the claims of each side. Each scale presents a measure of evidence. Therein each scale or dish also has inscribed symbols. On the top side of one dish, a dove represents good claims; on the bottom side of that dish is a Gemini symbol representing the witnesses, claims of “he said, she said”; on the top side of the other scale a snake represents bad claims; on its bottom side is the symbol of a linen scroll page which represents written laws or facts; and next to the scroll symbol is a knife, to represent weapons or instruments used in the claim. The design of the scales of justice and designs on the dish scales are researched from pre-Christianity and can be found both on the ancient red vase paintings and in sculpted stone reliefs of the time Themis was in vogue.

The Sword … represents the enforcement measures of Lady Justice. It means Themis stands ready to obligate faithfulness to her decision of reason and justice by both parties. Here Barrera’s Justicia holds a sword that is oversized to her body proportion as the swords’ size symbolizes a very important facet of justice, respect. In Barrera’s composition the sword is barely held by Themis’ right hand but is very closely positioned to her body. Thus she does not reign by fisted threat or fear of use of a weapon but instead she rules and openly exhibits she is prepared to get respect. The
design of the Barrera sword is period appropriate (700 to 300 B.C) to the time of Themis and is known as a hoplite sword, commonly used by the Greek citizen soldier.

HER PARENTS SYMBOLS
The final two artist added symbols are the ribbon as the sky and the globe of earth. In Greek mythology they respectively symbolize the father and mother of Themis and further they symbolize heaven and earth. Artistically they integrate the figure to its environment and as family symbols they tie the sculpture and fountain to San Antonio’s own ‘family city’ composition. Note also the 3 female figures at the base pedestal are her daughters in Greek mythology. In deeper philosophies the sky is the mind and the earth is the body; so the systems of reason, order and laws (Themis) fall in between.

The Earth … in art is symbolized with forms like a circle, sphere, ball or globe, which are fundamental elements of art. In Greek mythology the earth is Gaia who is the mother of Themis. (In Greek the word ‘ga’ means land or earth; she was a.k.a., mother earth, or earth goddess]. Symbolically as earth revolves and brings a new days issues Themis artistic posture is intended to reflect her potential to re-adjust her balance point or decision of Justice according to the new day of facts.

The Sky … Here the ribbon in art is a linear or curvilinear form and here represents the heavens or the Sky. The sky god in Greek mythology is Ouranos who is the mythological father of Themis and is god of the heavens. The ribbon is designed to appear as moving or changing in the wind just as the law and decisions she gives are according to the changing facts and issues.

HER CHILDREN SYMBOLS
Of family interest also are the three figures that are on the base pedestal of the cast iron fountain. They are the goddess daughters of Themis; they are the Seasons: spring, summer, winter; they are: Eirene (Peace), Eunomie (Order), and Dike (Justice) and they were known as the Horae and protected the wealth of man. Themis ordered the seasons and thereby also gave man his order and rules of work, i.e., cultivate, water and harvests.

SCULPTURAL ART STYLE
Classic ‘contropasto’ is the counterpoise of the human figure. Here Barrera’s Themis has one foot (leg) with more weight or tension and one relaxed – showing shift of balance of weight; and Themis’ back and arms twist to one side of her hips and leg positions – showing naturalness of stress-free posture. In composition it creates a vibrant yet relaxed appearance. She is presented on the earths’ globe and the implication here is there will be a change or adjustment of posture into motion. On a turning world she offers the appearance of preparedness to adapt her stance and weight.

Additionally, fitting to the period of Themis is the sinuous S•curve developed by the leading sculptor of that period Praxiteles. Literally it is the form of the “S” shape from the top of the figure to the bottom. Beginning at the top of the bun of her hair around her face curving back behind her shoulder then fast down her relaxed leg and again curving around the earths’ circle.

Themis hair design is classic Praxiteles as exhibited by his most famous Aphrodite of Knidos. It is a braided bun with two bands holding the hairstyle close to the head. For the artists composition it is intended to also be symbolic of not hiding the processes of justice.

THE SCULPTURE PROCESS

ARTIST SELECTION CRITERIA … President Tracy Wolff and her Foundation were seeking a native San Antonio artist and if possible in someway related to the law or the courthouse. Ms. Wolff had heard about and seen news articles that sculptor Barrera, hosted a new annual Sculptors Invitational for the community in San Antonio. Barrera’s Sculptors Dominion International, Inc. exhibits more than 100 big landscape sculptures each April and is the largest annual big sculpture exhibit in Texas. Additionally, sculptor Barrera’s’ family and extended family practice law at the Bexar County
Courthouse, and his dad was past President of the San Antonio Bar Association and has practiced law at the Bexar County Courthouse for more than 50 years. In 1968 Roy Barrera Sr. was also San Antonio’s first Secretary of State.

THE COMMISSION … In 2005 the Hidalgo Foundation under the direction of Mrs. Tracy Wolff, founder and President of the Board & Ms. Leslie Cole Executive Director of the Foundation, interviewed sculptor Gilbert E. Barrera. Ms. Wolff and her husband County Judge Nelson Wolff had already held other meetings with Ronald and Karen Herrmann the exclusive donors to the historic civic endeavor to restore and add design to the 100 plus year-old cast iron fountain. Their project was in synchronization with the city/county Main Plaza re-design. Afterwards in 2006 they selected Barrera for the commission of dual resolve. The first part was to restore the 12-foot county owned cast iron fountain and the
2nd part was to newly create a bronze sculpture for that fountain. The sculpture they wanted was to be a Lady Justice. The fountain with new sculpture atop was to be placed back where the fountain began at the Bexar County courthouse. In 1896 the original sculpture was of an Aphrodite figure though the original architect had conceived and planned it as a Lady Justice fountain. Today his conception is complete.

FIRST SCULPTURE THE MODEL
During the same time of the fountain research Barrera had begun a 10•inch scale model of Themis. The sculpture was extensively researched from literature, books and Internet resources. Sculptor Barrera was given creative freedom as to the design of the Lady Justice final composition and fundamental elements. After much research on Themis, on Aphrodite, and on other associated goddess stories of mythology and also researches on original sculptural styles of the period of her popularity • the concept was developed. Barrera carved direct on Victory Brown wax and completed a model for approval.

SCULPTURE CREATION
Tracy and Nelson Wolff and Ron and Karen Hermann approved the finished 10-inch maquette. Barrera commenced to convert the model to a four-foot sculpture by hand. The height of four feet as her measure was because it was proportionate to the height and volume of the fountain. The sculpture will sit atop the top bowl of the fountain on a raised cast iron fitting that holds the sculpture itself above the water level. The bronze is bolted to the fitting and the fitting in turn is bolted to the fountains top tier bowl. Barrera finished the commission in December of 2007. The installation was to take place December of 2008.

THE CAST IRON FOUNTAIN RESTORATION

FOUNTAIN HISTORY
The original cast iron fountain was purchased new in 1896 by Bexar County for the courthouse. The fountain itself was a J.L. Mott fountain out of New York . It was a two tiered 12-foot fountain with a cast iron Aphrodite figure on top and three female figures on the base pedestal. Total height was about 16 feet. It had spent time as a visual feature for the courthouse and was later moved to a few other locales including the San Antonio Water Board building.

THE BROKEN FOUNTAIN
Over the years it had been moved once or twice more and came to rest in a city warehouse. It had come into deterioration, damage, broken parts, missing parts and dozens of coats of paint, rust and lime scale build up. The Foundation shipped the separate pieces remaining and broken to Barrera’s studio. The top small bowl was missing, as was the cast iron Aphrodite statute. The bottom large bowl was broken. And there was no basin bottom.

THE FOUNTAIN REPAIR
First Barrera spent a few months striping paint and at the same time researching the pattern and repair of the fountain. Finally the research revealed a cast iron foundry in Alabama, the Robinson Company, had bought the patterns from Mott in the 1930’s so had the exact original pattern of the two original bowls. Barrera made an exploratory trip there and on a second trip transported the fountain parts there having already cleaned off the old paint, lime and rust scale. While there Barrera discovered they also made the original basin in cast iron in one or two tier levels and proposed it be purchased to complete the Greco European style of cast iron. The entire effort was just over two years from offer to finish.

For his part Barrera encompassed several personal and group meetings and phone calls with the charges of the city, county, architectural and construction firms. The meetings took place at both the courthouse and at Barrera’s studio.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Special thanks from Gilbert E Barrera, sculptor to President Tracy Wolff and her husband County Judge Nelson Wolff whose vision created the idea; and to Ronald and Karen Herrmann who financed the idea; and to Roy R. Barrera Sr. and Carmen Z. Barrera who supported the restoration project on the grounds of their Villa del Carmen Sculpture Conservatory.

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