The Four Justices: Justice Sonia Sotomayor

Justice Sonia Sotomayor was interviewed by Jan Smith, for the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery. Justice Kagan is depicted in the "The Four Justices" painting by artist Nelson Shanks, along with Justices Sandra Day O'Connor, Elena Kagan, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
On October 28, 2013, the National Portrait Gallery celebrated the arrival of Nelson Shanks’s "The Four Justices," a tribute to the four female justices who have served on the U.S. Supreme Court. The work is monumental; it measures approximately seven feet by five-and-a-half feet (in its custom-made frame it is almost nine-and-a-half feet by eight feet) and holds the west wall of the National Historic Landmark Building’s second-floor rotunda. Of the work, NPG Chief Curator Brandon Fortune noted, “The National Portrait Gallery is honored to have such an ambitious group portrait on loan to the museum.”
The work is based on sittings the justices had with Shanks; the two senior justices are seated and the recent appointees standing. Although the logistics of bringing three active and one retired justice into his studio was challenging, Shanks prefers to draw from life, which he feels brings each sitter’s distinct presence into his work. “If you can imagine a painting-no matter how facile-that doesn’t show character, something is missing,” Shanks noted in an interview with NPG. “Representation of character is really what counts to me.”
Only men had sat on the bench of the Supreme Court until President Ronald Reagan appointed Sandra Day O’Connor in 1981. After O’Connor, the next woman to receive an appointment was Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a nominee of President Bill Clinton in 1993. President Barack Obama appointed Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. Ginsburg, Sotomayor, and Kagan are still on the bench; O’Connor retired in 2006.
Shanks’s oil on canvas painting is on loan to the National Portrait Gallery from Ian and Annette Cumming; they have also loaned their portrait of mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves by Shanks to NPG. Shanks is also responsible for two presidential portraits in the Portrait Gallery’s permanent collection: one of President Reagan created in 1989, and one of President Clinton painted in 2005.

[@carolbenson6524]

She worked so hard to get where she is. Congratulations!

[@olimpiasps]

That's exactly how I see Sonia Sotomayor, an inspiration for my children and of course, my self.

[@johndanielson3777]

This woman lost her dad at 9 years old, lived in a housing project, got into Princeton on a full scholarship and received their highest academic award, went to Yale Law School, become a top prosecutor, appointed to be a judge by Bush 41, elevated to be an appeals judge by Clinton, and finally became a Supreme Court Justice.
This woman is an inspiration and a hero

[@jeg5gom]

And yet, what were her two main qualifications to be nominated by Obama? A: she's female; B: she's Hispanic.
Classic case of filling a quota and thus please those who don't care about standards. Typical Obama action. Style over substance (just like his Nobel prize 🤣😂😋)

[@leymat33]

@@jeg5gom no she’s represents millions of Latinos in this country. For 200 years the Supreme Court justice was 9 white old guys and no one ever questioned it

[@toraljungberg2839]

What an amazing and inspirational justice!

[@AliceWonders22]

She is an absolute idiot! Are you joking LMAO what planet are you living on. She couldn’t even get her facts straight yesterday

[@AliceWonders22]

She’s like idiot pelosi

[@marialuciaguarachi3097]

Am going to be Sonia Sotomayor in my school 🏫 because in history we have to pick a character who do you what to be and I picked Sonia Sotomayor because I what to be like her when I grow up 😍

[@grahamisme]

she is an inspiration to many and always will be

[@IrisMG]

Great interview

[@mannygomez6011]

agreed no bull

[@xiomaramitchell7535]

Great interview very inspiring

[@troychavez]

Love her!

[@erikc4600]

I disagree with Sotomayor most of the time, but an inspirational story indeed.

[@janlindtner305]

Nice to experience the "American Dream" in action. Hope for the future and diversity on the way. Good work Sonia.❤👍🤟

[@petestevens3970]

Fine remarks, fine person.

[@ASwagPecan]

most wholesome lady on the court, until Amy Barrett at least

[@j.louisv.123]

So obvious they post-recorded the questions after the original taping. Tacky...

[@tracysimmons3860]

She's a pretty woman

[@johnlove2954]

lol, no

[@justintaylor375]

@@johnlove2954 😂

[@maddieharr7211]

I know her former sister in law.

[@9000yugioh]

sotomayor >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> kavanaugh

[@sniffableandirresistble]

Boy is she complex

[@soniabarua5908]

Joe 2.🇺🇲🇺🇲👫👫💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💐💐💙💙💙

[@torque122]

Incredible it’s been a year since she passed. Wow.

[@jackg7538]

Worst of the 9 justices

[@donnagaffney6467]

WHAT??!!

[@johndanielson3777]

John Roberts - Judge for 2 years before nominated
Clarence Thomas - Judge for a year before nominated
Antonin Scalia - Judge for 4 years before being nominated
Sonia Sotomayor - Judge for 17 years being nominated
I’m sorry she’s not white or a male because I know you would’ve love her.

[@leekleek1]

Terrible justice

[@windhammer1237]

How many jews on the supreme court now? ugh.

[@johndanielson3777]

She’s Catholic, you Anti Semitic

[@ishmaelwadee]

You’re a fucking piece of shit 😂