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Decoding a Relief Portrait

Sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848-1907) employed symbols, inscriptions, and other personalized details, to reveal much about a subject’s character and accomplishments. When this relief portrait of Justice Horace Gray was modeled from life in 1901, the Justice was 74 years old and quite ill. Regardless, the portrait still captures his strength and sternness. Several symbols associated with Justice Gray’s occupation are depicted, including a stylized Seal of the Supreme Court of the United States in the upper left corner, a beautifully detailed judicial robe, a book of law, and a bench chair. In addition, a Latin inscription reads, “MAJOR HÆREDITAS VENIT A JURE ET LEGIBUS” meaning, “a richer heritage comes from law and precepts.” Justice Gray was an early adoptee of the case-study method and relied on legal precedents (stare decisis, “let the decision stand”) in his approach to the law.