Justitia, Goddess of Justice, from the Goddesses of the Greeks and Romans series (N188) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

This small card, part of a series by Wm. S. Kimball & Co., depicts Justitia, the Roman goddess of justice, adorned with potent symbols. The blindfold, sword, and scales are her attributes. The blindfold speaks to impartiality; justice must be blind to status and influence. Yet, blindness has a double valence, suggesting both objectivity and a potential lack of insight. The scales represent the careful weighing of evidence, an ancient symbol found in Egyptian depictions of the afterlife, where the heart was weighed against a feather. The sword symbolizes the power to enforce the law, an ancestral memory perhaps harking back to ancient deities. In the medieval era, the scales of justice appeared in numerous contexts, each time evoking a sense of divine order. These symbols tap into a collective consciousness, an enduring quest for fairness. This image engages us because it touches upon a fundamental human desire: the hope for a just and equitable world. The goddess's serene pose elicits a psychological response, reassuring us that justice, though sometimes elusive, remains an ideal. Justitia’s symbols, enduring and adaptable, continue to evolve, a testament to their timeless resonance.