The Four Women of the Supreme Court Look Fierce in Cool New Portrait

This morning, the press was given a chance to gaze upon a new portrait by Nelson Shanks featuring Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, Justice Elena Kagan and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Close-up after the jump.

Can we get all Da Vinci Code/Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler for a minute? There’s a lot going on here: Three books on the left. A portion of a crimson pillow. A window, outside of which are more windows. A mirror, reflecting another multi-paned window. What does it all mean? Metaphors for transparency? Something about the glass ceiling?

Artist Nelson Shanks talks about his painting, “The Four Justices”, a 9-foot, 6-inch by 7-foot 9-inch oil on canvas portrait of the first four female justices of the U.S. Supreme Court, top row, from left, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, bottom row, from left, Sandra Day O’Connor, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, during a press preview at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington, Monday, Oct. 28, 2013. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)