Think Lady Justice has always been blind? Think again.

According to a new book published by two Yale Law School professors – Judith Resnik and Dennis Curtis LAW ’66 – Lady Justice did not wear a blindfold until the 17th century. The blindfold was originally an uncommon accessory for the figure, they said, because people equated blindness with deception rather than impartiality.

Along with examining the ways in which the figure of justice is portrayed around the world, Resnik and Curtis’ book, “Representing Justice,” also discusses modern threats to the judiciary. The New York Times reported that the two professors felt that their book was a nice way for them to combine their twin interests in art and the changing role of the judicial system.