Jurisprudence. Allegorical Figure 1800

Nicolai Abildgaard painted this allegorical figure of Jurisprudence, or Justice, in the late 18th century. The stern woman holds a triangle, symbolising reason and clarity, while a Roman fasces stands beside her, denoting power and authority. The fasces, a bundle of rods bound together with an axe, dates back to ancient Etruscan civilization, becoming a symbol of Roman power. We see it later adopted during the French Revolution and, infamously, by Mussolini's fascist regime. This symbol's endurance reveals how societies throughout time have sought order and authority, often oscillating between justice and oppression. The presence of the axe is particularly poignant, signifying the power of the State, and raising complex questions about collective memory, tradition, and the cyclical nature of power. Each historical recurrence of the fasces brings with it the weight of past meanings, resonating, evolving and merging with contemporary anxieties.