The Defeat of Justice

The Defeat of Justice by Leon Kroll presents a barren and broken land devoid of justice. This mural serves as a counterpart to The Triumph of Justice, which illustrates the benefits of true and lasting justice in the same setting, now peaceful and bountiful. Kroll painted both works in raised lunettes at either end of the official conference room of the Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice building in Washington, D.C.

Compared to The Triumph of Justice, The Defeat of Justice is dramatic in composition and color. The figure of Justice, represented by a blonde, white-robed woman, lies prone and immobile at the center of the mural. Next to her, a robed judge hides a sinister face beneath a mask that resembles Justice, while overseeing acts of violence and repression around him. To the left, a uniformed faceless man silences a woman by covering her mouth with one hand and restraining her writing hand with the other. Both actions physically obstruct her from talking or writing, restricting her freedom of speech. Behind the black-robed judge, a massive, shirtless man drives a line of people away with a whip. The remaining figures in the mural appear scattered and fearful as they try to protect symbols of education and art. A desolate landscape, bare trees, and dark clouds replace the healthy, ordered landscape and calm skies depicted in The Triumph of Justice. Despite the difficult subject matter, Kroll wrote that he attempted to make The Defeat of Justice pleasant to view. He aimed to portray themes of power, force, tragedy, and havoc, but with attractive figures, while avoiding offensive or controversial content. He wrote that “even the villains of the piece are beautifully draped and muscled.” Kroll was particularly invested in this panel, stating, “I felt the subject deeply, as my most passionate hatred, in fact perhaps my only hatred, is injustice.”