The One Man Power in our Jury System, from Puck Possibly 1886

Editor: This lithograph, "The One Man Power in our Jury System" by Joseph Keppler, feels really weighted, not just in its visual style, but in its message. The scales of justice are so unbalanced. What stands out to you? Curator: The symbolic language here is so potent. Keppler, working around 1886, utilizes the figure of Lady Justice in a manner we expect – blindfolded, holding scales. But observe – her posture is strained, burdened, not impartial. Justice herself seems weary, complicit. Do you notice the use of Uncle Sam, a well known cultural personification? What action do you see him undertaking? Editor: He’s kicking up the scales on one side...but the other side just has one guy! Curator: Precisely. Consider Uncle Sam as the embodied force of political will or perhaps popular opinion. He tips the scales – literally interfering with the course of justice. What does it tell you that the “one man” outweighs eleven? How does the historical context – possibly the Gilded Age, marked by political corruption – shape your understanding? Editor: I guess it means one corrupt individual had more influence than a group of honest citizens. Maybe that it still resonates today is the most depressing thing about this work. Curator: Indeed. The caricature highlights a tension between ideals of fairness and realities of power. We can see here the continuity of symbols of justice across cultures and through time. The visual echoes become a sort of cultural memory. It reminds us how powerfully visual satire can unmask uncomfortable truths that endure. Editor: So even seemingly straightforward symbols, like scales, can carry multiple layers of meaning. I learned a lot from this conversation, that artists are often building on or twisting existing visual languages for specific, sometimes critical, purposes.