Jurors Listening to Counsel, Supreme Court, New York City Hall, New York (from "Harper's Weekly," Vol. XIII) 1869

Winslow Homer made this print for Harper's Weekly, a popular periodical, showing jurors listening to counsel in the Supreme Court, New York City Hall. Published in 1869, in the wake of the Civil War, Homer offers us a glimpse into the processes of American justice. However, the image is also striking for what it omits. The courtroom is exclusively populated by white men, underscoring the racial and gendered hierarchies of the time. The absence of women and people of color speaks volumes about who had access to power and justice in 19th-century America. Despite the promise of equality, the reality for many Americans was one of exclusion and marginalization. By subtly revealing these societal imbalances, Homer's print serves as a potent reminder of the complexities and contradictions inherent in the pursuit of justice. It asks us to consider whose voices are heard and whose are silenced within the halls of power.