Tom Brady Drawing A Fumble, But Courtroom Artists Usually Score
Tom Brady’s recent lawsuit against the National Football League cast a harsh spotlight on courtroom artists, arguably the rarest species of journalist. Veteran artist Jane Rosenberg’s sketch depicted the pretty-boy quarterback as if he had taken too many blows to the face from defensive linemen. The image spread fast, prompting many unflattering reviews. “Tom Brady’s face,” argued the sports website SB Nation, “melted at the DeflateGate hearing, according to this courtroom sketch” In the edited remarks that follow, Elizabeth Williams, co-author of The Illustrated Courtroom: 50 Years of Court Art, discussed the perils of her profession —what she calls “walking on a tightrope”—as well some of her most memorable drawings.
