Two
women were depicted on the New York State coat of arms when it was first
officially adopted in 1778. However, many times since then for unknown reasons,
government officials, artists and engravers changed the number of women, what
they represented, the way they looked, and the objects they held in their
hands.
In
1875, a major controversy broke out when the organizers for the nation’s
centennial celebration asked New York for a painting of its official coat of
arms so that they could put it in a display of the arms of the 13 original states in Independence Hall in Philadelphia. According to a state law in
1875, there was supposed to be a written description of the official coat of
arms on file in the secretary of state’s office—but such a description could
not be found, anywhere!
A
painting of the coat of arms that was first hung in St. Paul’s Chapel in New
York City in 1785 was eventually copied and sent to Philadelphia for the
centennial celebration; however, the controversy over what the official New
York State coat of arms was supposed to look like continued. In 1882, after
several years of research and dispute, the legislature adopted the
recommendations of a study commission consisting of Governor Alonzo B. Cornell,
Secretary of State Joseph B. Carr and State Comptroller James W. Wadsworth, and
passed a law which officially described New York’s coat of arms. The statute
also regulated the use of the coat of arms on all the various state government
seals and on the New York State flag. The law went into effect on January 1,
1883 and since that time, the two figures on the coat of arms have not legally
changed.
The
woman on the left represents Liberty. Clothed in blue, she wears red sandals
and decorates her hair with pearls. A gold Phrygian cap rests on top of the
staff Liberty holds in her right hand. The cap was given to Roman slaves when
they were formally emancipated and granted their freedom. An overturned royal
crown at Liberty’s left foot represents the distinct abandonment of monarchical
government.
The
woman on the right is emblematic of Justice. According to an 1881 research
paper by the State Librarian Henry A. Homes, she represents the Greek virgin
goddess of justice, Astraea, not to be confused with her mother, Themis, who
also personifies justice. Clothed in gold, Justice wears sandals and also has
pearls decorating her hair. Justice is blindfolded and carries the sword of
justice in her right hand and the scales of justice in her left hand.
The
women are standing on a silver scroll which has the state motto, “Excelsior”
(Ever Upward) written on it in black type.
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