Lady Justice Fountain

INFORMATION:

Worldwide Aphrodite/Themis/ Lady Justice is a more recognizable sculpture than the Statue of Liberty. She became a blend of Greek and Roman stories.  Lady Justice was originally known as the goddess of Themis.  In Greek Themis means “order”.  She began in Greek mythology about 800 B.C. as one of the Titan gods. She was goddess of the ‘order of the natural world’ in her time she was the final decision maker on the laws of man and nature.  

Beautifully recreated she sits atop of the original 12-foot cast iron fountain, purchased new in 1896 by Bexar County for the courthouse. The fountain was in disrepair and had been broken into several pieces with many pieces missing all together.  The deteriorating fountain had rust and lime build up.  The top small bowl was missing, as was the Aphrodite statute.  The Hidalgo Foundation set out to correct this.    

The Aphrodite/Themis/ Lady Justice of sculptor Gilbert E. Barrera created in the Greco/Roman version of the original manifestation of the earliest Aphrodite. The sculpture is approximately 4 feet in height and weighs about 200 pounds. 

The Lady Justice sculptor of Barrera is graced with five key features.  The traditional blindfold, sword, scales are the classic devices.  Here they are gilded in gold to accent them as the established symbols of Lady Justice.  The artist added two additional features: a ribbon and the earth. Therefore, except for the new Lady Justice / Themis / Aphrodite statue, the rest of the fountain is the original 1896. It is a beautiful addition to the courthouse square.

In 2005, the Hidalgo Foundation under chairwomen Tracy Wolff, executive director, Leslie Cole and Ronald and Karen Herrmann the exclusive donors of the historic civic endeavors selected Gilbert E Barrera to restore and add design to the 100 year old, 12 foot cast iron fountain. He then recreated a new version of Lady Justice for Bexar County to sit atop the fountain.  Official unveiling occurred on December 7, 2008.

location:

29.423980, -98.493495. Monument is near 100 Dolorosa, San Antonio TX 78205 

Bexar County courthouse history walk: