Charles James Mulligan, “Working Model for Justice and Power,” Plaster, c. 1915


Photograph of a sculpture.

A working model for the companion piece to Law and Knowledge rendered for the Illinois Supreme Court Building. Like its counterpart, Justice and Power depicts two classical figures, one standing and one seated. The seated figure is rotated 90 degrees and facing outside. The standing figure is turned 45 degrees toward the chair. In this piece, the seated figure is on the viewer’s left side and the standing figure is on the right. The seated figure’s right elbow is propped on the chair and the right hand supports the figure’s head. The left arm rests in the figure’s lap. The standing figure holds a sword in its right hand — point resting on the ground. A cloak drapes over this arm to the back of the seated figure’s chair. The standing figure’s right arm rests atop the rounded edge of the shield, which balances on the top back of the chair holding the seated figure. The standing figure in this group is adjacent to an eagle, which is sitting on a rock, rotated 90 degrees, and facing the outside right.

16 1/2 x 7 1/4 x 17 3/4″

(1866-1916)

Charles Mulligan was born in Ireland. He immigrated to the United States at the age of 17. He settled near Chicago and took a job as a stone cutter. He studied at the Art Institute under Lorado Taft, and worked as one of Taft’s workshop foremen for the Columbian Exposition. Later, Mulligan studied further in Paris, and served as a sculpture department head at the Art Institute of Chicago.