King Alfred

In 1952, Edwin C. Rust completed six bronze bas-relief sculptures for the U.S. Court of Appeals at the Elijah Barrett Prettyman U.S. Courthouse in Washington, D.C. These sculptures, each about a foot in height, include four portrait busts and two full-figure allegories, all of which relate to the tradition, principles, and legacy of legal practice in America. Rust’s allegorical figures flank the judges’ bench. The figure of Authority is a reclining man consulting an open book. Across the room, Justice is depicted with her characteristic sword and scales, though notably absent her distinctive blindfold.

In the rear of the courtroom are four sculpted portraits, including King Alfred (849–899), or Alfred the Great, who helped establish Anglo-Saxon Law and whose reign lead to the unification of England; William Blackstone (1723–1780), whose Commentaries on the Laws of England served as a foundational text for America’s legal system; John Marshall (1755–1835), the fourth Chief Justice of the United States and a formative figure in American constitutional law; and Moorfield Storey (1845–1929), a champion of civil rights and racial equality.