Justice Is Not Blind

I just returned from a trip to Portugal. In Porto I toured the Bolsa, which was the historic mercantile exchange and commercial hub of that trading city. The courtroom where contract disputes (primarily) were heard was a feast for the eyes, and included this depiction of Justice on the ceiling.

Justice is holding a sword and staring straight ahead. (Above her is an angel with scales, representing Divine Justice.) She is not blind, but is impartial in the sense that she is not looking at any of the parties who are before her making arguments.

I think that this imagery is superior to the traditional "blind justice" depiction. I've never liked that symbolism, as justice cannot be done without paying close attention to facts and to the real world. But Justice should not be smiling on any particular litigant or interest all the time.