Activities of the Department of Justice

On the walls surrounding the ceremonial entrance to the Attorney General’s office, Louis Bouché painted three walls and three panels representing the activities of the U.S. Department of Justice. Above the doorway, he depicted the Symbols of Justice, which include a blindfolded allegory of Justice, an American eagle carrying an olive branch and a bundle of arrows, and the scales of justice.

To the left of the door, along a curved wall, Bouché shows An Arrest, in which two officers place a man in handcuffs. The scene connects thematically to the adjacent southwest wall of the lobby, which portrays twelve vignettes that comprise the Violent Activities of the Department of Justice. Many of the scenes recall contemporary events that resulted in significant legislation. “Crimes on the High Seas” refers to the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, which sought to protect merchant ships and maritime trade. “Crimes on Indian Reservations”  responds to the 1924 Indian Citizenship Act and the 1934 Indian Reorganization Act, which extended U.S. citizenship to all American Indians and decreased federal control over Indian affairs. “Alcoholic Beverage Violations” corresponds to the 1933 repeal of prohibition. The kidnapping scene is reminiscent of the infamous 1932 Lindbergh case, in which the young son of aviator Charles Lindbergh was kidnapped and murdered. The crime led to the Federal Kidnapping Act, which made the transport of kidnapped victims across state lines a federal crime.

To the right of the doorway, Bouché explores the positive aspects of the work of the Justice Department. Along the bowed wall, a family of immigrants arrive at a United States port. Next to them, on the adjacent wall, eleven scenes show the Peaceful Activities of the Department of Justice, which correspond to contemporary events and legislation. The upper left scene depicting radio towers relates to the Radio Act of 1927, which increased federal regulation over radio communication. The scene, “Public Safety,” shows an airplane flying over a high speed train, referring to the Railroad Safety Appliance Act of 1893 and the Air Commerce Act of 1926, which enforced new safety measures. The image of a bank corresponds to the Banking Act of 1933, which Congress passed in response to the stock market crash of 1929. Next to a factory labeled “Industry,” a group of men gather nearby, representing “Labor Matters” and symbolizing the many labor unions supported under President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

On the opposite wall, facing the door to the Attorney General’s office, are two full-length portraits of Francis Biddle and Justice Louis Brandeis. Biddle served as Justice of the U.S. Court of Appeals, 3 rd Circuit, from 1939 to 1940, U.S. Solicitor General from 1940 to 1941, and U.S. Attorney General from 1941 to 1945. He was also the brother of George Biddle, the artist who painted Society Freed through Justice in the fifth floor stairwell. Francis Biddle was serving his first year as Attorney General when Bouché finished this portrait. To the right, depicted in his robe and holding a book, is Justice Louis Brandeis. Brandeis was a staunch defender of individual rights and the freedom of speech and served as Associate Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court from 1916 to 1939. His death in 1941 possibly inspired
the artist to include his portrait.

Between the two portraits, above a doorway, Bouché painted a still life titled Symbols of Education, which includes a quill in an ink pot, a globe, a gavel, an oil lamp, a stamp, an hourglass, and books and papers. The artist chose to depict this still life and several scenes on the other walls in a style called “grisaille,” which is a method of painting in gray monochrome. Bouché uses shades of gray to suggest three-dimensionality and includes other trompe l'oeil details, or optical illusions, such as the blue curtains to frame doorways and certain scenes. Bouché designed his mural series with the architectural layout of the lobby in mind and created a grand entrance for the Attorney General’s ceremonial office. For instance, the depiction of An Arrest is centered and visible along the length of the corridor when approaching the Attorney General’s office from the hallway. Similarly,Immigration Scene is visible at the end of the hallway for visitors approaching from the other corridor.