A Justiça, Granite statue at Three Powers Plaza, Brazil.
A Justiça is a 3.3-metre-tall, 1.48-metre-wide sculpture carved from a single block of Petrópolis granite, standing before the Federal Supreme Court building on Three Powers Plaza in Brasília. The blindfolded woman sits upright, her hands gripping a straight sword that rests horizontally across her lap, with a cloth draped over her thighs. Her stylized body has broad shoulders, a narrow waist and long draped legs, and she wears a tall, tight-fitting headpiece.
Alfredo Ceschiatti created the sculpture in 1961 for the inauguration of Brazil's new capital and its institutions. It has stood in front of the newly built court since Brasília's founding, symbolizing the legal system of the young city.
The figure carries no scales, only the sword resting on her lap, emphasizing the power of law in this Brazilian interpretation. This approach diverges from European iconography and makes the sculpture a distinct symbol for the country's judicial system.
The sculpture is freely accessible from the public plaza and stands directly at the entrance to the court. It can be viewed well from different points on Three Powers Plaza, especially during daylight.
On 8 January 2023, during the attacks on the Three Powers Plaza, Débora Rodrigues spray-painted "Perdeu, mané" on the statue, a taunt aimed at Supreme Court minister Luís Roberto Barroso. On 13 November 2024 a man threw fireworks at the sculpture and the court entrance.
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