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Drawn Testimony: My Four Decades as a Courtroom Sketch Artist
A penetrating, compulsively readable memoir about the four-decade career of America's top courtroom sketch artist, for fans of Lab Girl and Working Stiff
Jane Rosenberg is America's pre-eminent courtroom sketch artist. For over forty years, she's been at the heart of the story, covering almost every major trial that has passed through the New York justice system. From mob bosses to fallen titans of finance, terrorists and sex abusers, corrupt cops and warring entertainment icons, she has drawn them all.
In Drawn Testimony , Rosenberg brings us into the high-stakes, dramatic world of her craft, where art, psychology and courtroom drama collide. Over the course of her legendary career, Jane has had a front row seat to some of the most iconic and notorious moments in our nation's recent history, sketching everything from Tom Brady's deflate-gate case, to John Lennon's murder trial to cases against Ghislaine Maxwell, John Gotti, Harvey Weinstein and most recently, the indictment against former President Donald Trump. Readers will learn how she has honed her unique powers of perception, but also what her portraits reveal, not only about her subjects, but about the human condition in general.
Fearless, fascinating and gorgeously written, Drawn Testimony captures the unique career of an artist whose body of work depicts history as it's happening.
Jane Rosenberg is America's pre-eminent courtroom sketch artist. For over forty years, she's been at the heart of the story, covering almost every major trial that has passed through the New York justice system. From mob bosses to fallen titans of finance, terrorists and sex abusers, corrupt cops and warring entertainment icons, she has drawn them all.
In Drawn Testimony , Rosenberg brings us into the high-stakes, dramatic world of her craft, where art, psychology and courtroom drama collide. Over the course of her legendary career, Jane has had a front row seat to some of the most iconic and notorious moments in our nation's recent history, sketching everything from Tom Brady's deflate-gate case, to John Lennon's murder trial to cases against Ghislaine Maxwell, John Gotti, Harvey Weinstein and most recently, the indictment against former President Donald Trump. Readers will learn how she has honed her unique powers of perception, but also what her portraits reveal, not only about her subjects, but about the human condition in general.
Fearless, fascinating and gorgeously written, Drawn Testimony captures the unique career of an artist whose body of work depicts history as it's happening.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published August 13, 2024
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3869 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
August 19, 2024
Can you fathom what it must be like to have one of the most truly rare, one-of-a-kind, difficult-to-imagine jobs in, like, the entire world? And kicking ass at it by being at the top of an already tiny, elite, and rarefied field?? If you have such a job, you should probably write a book to enlighten the rest of us slackers, and I’m really glad Rosenberg did!
Making a straightforward living as an artist is already a noteworthy and challenging achievement, and it’s even more interesting when one is accomplishing it via a mysterious, already-and-increasingly obscure profession such as a courtroom sketch artist. It was pretty fascinating to read how Rosenberg tackles her technical craft under the high-pressure, fast-paced, and emotional conditions of the courtroom. Her narration of her sketching process with its split-second decisions and (literally) blisteringly quick and precise chalk pastel snapshot captures of high drama is akin to listening to an excellent sportscast. All of this is especially true given the prominence and gravity of many of the trials and often horrific crimes she covered.
Indeed, it’s nothing short of mind boggling just how many major, often landmark court cases Rosenberg has sketched. It’s nearly inconceivable that she so intimately bore witness to so many important historical events and the victims and criminals involved. The book reads like a legal history of prominent and socio-culturally influential trials of the past several decades, through the lens of an artist/journalist figure who also seems like a very humble and normal, if hardworking, talented, and passionate, person. And I so appreciated the sense of duty and responsibility she seems to embrace in order to accurately document these legal proceedings, represent the individuals involved, and do justice to those harmed by the crimes.
Do read this if you are interested and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. For me the most engaging and moving chapters were the ones about the Boston Bombing trial and the trial for the murder of George Floyd along with other significant police brutality cases. There might be too many memoirs these days, but some people should write them, and Rosenberg is one of them! I listened to this book on audio and that worked well for me.
Making a straightforward living as an artist is already a noteworthy and challenging achievement, and it’s even more interesting when one is accomplishing it via a mysterious, already-and-increasingly obscure profession such as a courtroom sketch artist. It was pretty fascinating to read how Rosenberg tackles her technical craft under the high-pressure, fast-paced, and emotional conditions of the courtroom. Her narration of her sketching process with its split-second decisions and (literally) blisteringly quick and precise chalk pastel snapshot captures of high drama is akin to listening to an excellent sportscast. All of this is especially true given the prominence and gravity of many of the trials and often horrific crimes she covered.
Indeed, it’s nothing short of mind boggling just how many major, often landmark court cases Rosenberg has sketched. It’s nearly inconceivable that she so intimately bore witness to so many important historical events and the victims and criminals involved. The book reads like a legal history of prominent and socio-culturally influential trials of the past several decades, through the lens of an artist/journalist figure who also seems like a very humble and normal, if hardworking, talented, and passionate, person. And I so appreciated the sense of duty and responsibility she seems to embrace in order to accurately document these legal proceedings, represent the individuals involved, and do justice to those harmed by the crimes.
Do read this if you are interested and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. For me the most engaging and moving chapters were the ones about the Boston Bombing trial and the trial for the murder of George Floyd along with other significant police brutality cases. There might be too many memoirs these days, but some people should write them, and Rosenberg is one of them! I listened to this book on audio and that worked well for me.
November 12, 2024
My thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Press/Hanover Square Press for an eARC of this book to read and review.
DNF at 16%. I was uncomfortable with her seeming admiration for Maxwell, a woman who helped to traffic vulnerable minors to wealthy men, but decided to keep reading.
Then I got to the part where she said that Jean Harris was on trial for killing her husband and I had to stop. I don't read or know much about true crime, but I had just read about Jean Harris in Nora Ephron's I Feel Bad About My Neck (I DNF'd that one too, because of the Jean Harris bit) and was curious and looked up Jean Harris. The internet agreed that Harris was on trial for killing her lover, not her husband.
This author was literally AT the trial. Ok, maybe she was so focused on her drawing that she missed that fact, but what are editors for?
If something so wrong 16% of the way into the book, what else isn't correct?
Interesting premise, but if the items being presented as facts aren't true, that kind of ruins the book for me.
1, I was expecting better from this and am disappointed, stars.
DNF at 16%. I was uncomfortable with her seeming admiration for Maxwell, a woman who helped to traffic vulnerable minors to wealthy men, but decided to keep reading.
Then I got to the part where she said that Jean Harris was on trial for killing her husband and I had to stop. I don't read or know much about true crime, but I had just read about Jean Harris in Nora Ephron's I Feel Bad About My Neck (I DNF'd that one too, because of the Jean Harris bit) and was curious and looked up Jean Harris. The internet agreed that Harris was on trial for killing her lover, not her husband.
This author was literally AT the trial. Ok, maybe she was so focused on her drawing that she missed that fact, but what are editors for?
If something so wrong 16% of the way into the book, what else isn't correct?
Interesting premise, but if the items being presented as facts aren't true, that kind of ruins the book for me.
1, I was expecting better from this and am disappointed, stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2024
Courtroom sketch artists have a front-row seat to some of the greatest dramas of human existence, and Jane Rosenberg is no exception. She has drawn courtroom sketches for some of the biggest and most infamous cases over the past forty years.
DRAWN TESTIMONY is fast-paced, succinct, and engaging, and will fascinate anyone interested in true crime, courtroom proceedings, and/or the art of courtroom sketching.
DRAWN TESTIMONY is fast-paced, succinct, and engaging, and will fascinate anyone interested in true crime, courtroom proceedings, and/or the art of courtroom sketching.
September 12, 2024
She draws and writes well,
from Trump to Cartel;
Let beholders tell,
what photos can't sell.
from Trump to Cartel;
Let beholders tell,
what photos can't sell.
February 24, 2024
A fascinating peek into the courtroom for many infamous cases that spark memories in many of us. The difference in this author’s experience is she sat front row with pastels and paper! Full of deep dives into criminals, celebrities, and victims including intriguing and impressive drawings! If you’re like me and enjoy getting jury duty for the pure fascination of court proceedings, this book is for you!
Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and author Jane Rosenberg for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. “Drawn Testimony” is expected to be published August 13, 2024!
Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and author Jane Rosenberg for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. “Drawn Testimony” is expected to be published August 13, 2024!
September 22, 2023
I finished this in one sitting and just like the court cases she's covered, I couldn't take my eyes off of it!
April 7, 2025
Jane Rosenberg has a very niche, fascinating job -- she is a professional courtroom artist. As cameras aren't allowed inside the courtroom in most US federal cases, the only visual depictions capturing the proceedings are hand-drawn by a small cadre of professionals employed or freelancing for media outlets.
Rosenberg's 2024 memoir Drawn Testimony reflects upon her 40-year career including many high-profile and memorable cases, her impressions of the justice system (there is no obligation for courtroom sketch artists to be fair and impartial in their opinions -- only the requirement to draw what they saw in the courtroom accurately), and the time she accidentally became the story (for drawing NFL pro Tom Brady in a way that made it look like his facial features were melting). Various sketches are included in the Ebook version, though I was disappointed that they were all rendered in grayscale in the Kindle edition (Rosenberg sketches them in full color using pastels), though not as many sketches as Rosenberg describes in the text (this book would have been the perfect opportunity to include more art, not less!).
Further reading: fascinating niche careers
The Trauma Cleaner: One Woman's Extraordinary Life in the Business of Death, Decay, and Disaster by Sarah Krasnostein
My statistics:
Book 110 for 2025
Book 2036 cumulatively
Rosenberg's 2024 memoir Drawn Testimony reflects upon her 40-year career including many high-profile and memorable cases, her impressions of the justice system (there is no obligation for courtroom sketch artists to be fair and impartial in their opinions -- only the requirement to draw what they saw in the courtroom accurately), and the time she accidentally became the story (for drawing NFL pro Tom Brady in a way that made it look like his facial features were melting). Various sketches are included in the Ebook version, though I was disappointed that they were all rendered in grayscale in the Kindle edition (Rosenberg sketches them in full color using pastels), though not as many sketches as Rosenberg describes in the text (this book would have been the perfect opportunity to include more art, not less!).
Further reading: fascinating niche careers
The Trauma Cleaner: One Woman's Extraordinary Life in the Business of Death, Decay, and Disaster by Sarah Krasnostein
My statistics:
Book 110 for 2025
Book 2036 cumulatively
May 29, 2025
truly loved this book from beginning to end. to start, she describes her motivations in artistry and what pushes her to be as successful as she is. her writing is quick to the point, but very descriptive in the sense that i’m not left with questions that go unanswered. she then delves straight into her works, with her introduction being her work with Ghislaine Maxwell. I loved the tidbits she includes that she experienced while working months on the case. She later goes on to cover her work with cases on Mobsters, Tom Brady, Trump, Cosby, Weinstein, and so many others. The middle part of the book includes colored images of her work, dating back to the 80’s, like working with the Central Park Five. Overall, I loved her emphasis on how she depicts people’s emotions and small, almost unnoticeable features that every human has, yet she tries to capture in her work. I truly loved this book and it gave me such a new perspective on not only court drawings, but also on how to view people, the unique features that make us unique, and the unique stories we all have that may ultimately lead to our downfall in court. 10/10 definitely recommend to anyone, especially if you love art in all forms.
January 22, 2025
I noticed this book on the new nonfiction shelf at the library and it sounded truly fascinating. I don’t always love memoirs written by people who are not writers by trade, but Rosenberg surprisingly has a way with words. She really does bring to life the trials she sat in on, not simply thanks to her chalk pastel drawings but also with her words. I also enjoyed that Rosenberg added more drawings within each chapter, not just the color versions in the middle of the book. Sometimes I wish there were more because the way she renders the scenes in the courtroom is gripping.
My only qualm is that Rosenberg tends to moralize at the end of each chapter. I understand she’s trying to show how living a life of crime is never a good idea, but I could see how someone who doesn’t agree with her politics may be put off. And I have to say, it was strange to see Trump in the courtroom just a day after he became President for the second time.
Highly recommended for all fans of true crime.
My only qualm is that Rosenberg tends to moralize at the end of each chapter. I understand she’s trying to show how living a life of crime is never a good idea, but I could see how someone who doesn’t agree with her politics may be put off. And I have to say, it was strange to see Trump in the courtroom just a day after he became President for the second time.
Highly recommended for all fans of true crime.
November 14, 2025
4.25 stars
This book is a memoir of Jane Rosenberg, who spent over forty years as a sketch artist in trials as varied as Bernie Madoff, Woody Allen, and members of a drug cartel. This is a profession I didn't know much about, so I enjoyed learning about how Ms. Rosenberg got into the profession and getting an inside look at her work in the courtroom.
She talks about her life in general, her profession, and observations about the various court cases, defendants, witnesses, and attorneys. The part about how began her career as well as seeing pictures of her sketches throughout the book were the highlights. I enjoyed the chapters for cases I was most familiar with the best. The chapter about Tom Brady and the NFL's "Deflategate" and John Gotti were my favorites, but I enjoyed the book overall.
I received a copy of this book from HTP Books and HTP Hive for review consideration, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
This book is a memoir of Jane Rosenberg, who spent over forty years as a sketch artist in trials as varied as Bernie Madoff, Woody Allen, and members of a drug cartel. This is a profession I didn't know much about, so I enjoyed learning about how Ms. Rosenberg got into the profession and getting an inside look at her work in the courtroom.
She talks about her life in general, her profession, and observations about the various court cases, defendants, witnesses, and attorneys. The part about how began her career as well as seeing pictures of her sketches throughout the book were the highlights. I enjoyed the chapters for cases I was most familiar with the best. The chapter about Tom Brady and the NFL's "Deflategate" and John Gotti were my favorites, but I enjoyed the book overall.
I received a copy of this book from HTP Books and HTP Hive for review consideration, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
August 27, 2024
The few times I was in a court room, I never noticed a court artist. Perhaps there was not one. Therefore, I found this book interesting not only in the way the author describes her creative efforts but the trials she chose to portray in her book. She manages to toss in humor at times when she describes the huge egos of some of the players. Forty years of experience certainly has given Rosenberg much fodder which she shares well.
March 12, 2025
I loved this!!
May 5, 2025
Fascinating interweaving of courtroom drama and the artistic challenges of telling the stories therein.
September 3, 2024
So interesting! What an amazing career this author has had. It honestly never occurred to me that a single person would have been present for so many high profile cases.
August 15, 2024
If you like reading true crime, you may appreciate this different pov.
August 18, 2024
Courtroom sketches are fascinating, and I gobble up whatever information I can find about sketch artists. It's so nice to have a book written by one of the greatest. If she hadn't said it, I don't know if I'd ever have noticed the connection to Ashcan art. It seems so obvious, now.
For me, I'd have liked to learn more about how she draws, what kind of paper, where she gets it, what kind of pastels, how much pencil does she use, how she proceeds from start to finish, and how she keeps her pastel drawings from smearing.I'm sure she doesn't spray fixative in the courtroom!
It also would have been of interest to hear her talk a little about other courtroom artists and how they differ, but I can't blame her for not going into that.
For me, I'd have liked to learn more about how she draws, what kind of paper, where she gets it, what kind of pastels, how much pencil does she use, how she proceeds from start to finish, and how she keeps her pastel drawings from smearing.I'm sure she doesn't spray fixative in the courtroom!
It also would have been of interest to hear her talk a little about other courtroom artists and how they differ, but I can't blame her for not going into that.
February 27, 2024
This book was really interesting. I have been curious for years about the profession of courtroom artist. This book answered so many questions. Some parts were honestly difficult to read, since they are about real life courtroom situations and I did find myself skipping pages. Other parts were handled with a lot of humor, like the Tom Brady incident. Overall, I found this book to be very well written, insightful and informative.
Thank you for the eARC!
Thank you for the eARC!
August 29, 2024
I am obsessed with this woman! She has been witness to so many cultural and historical moments and her art will be in textbooks. Such a cool memoir
April 22, 2025
Jane Rosenberg became a sketch artist while trying to make a living from her art. After a chance encounter with a fellow working artist, she cold-called a TV network asking for a job as a courtroom sketch artist and was hired immediately.
The life of a courtroom artist is unexpectedly frantic. Rosenberg would frequently get a call to cover an arraignment, which usually involved tracking down the where and when, and to find a way to arrive in time, pastels in tow. She would relax and possibly meditate when she had found her assigned seat, but then she shifted into a frantic rush to assess the defendant, the lawyers, judge, and witnesses, and find a good theme for a sketch. Her sketches did not always accurately represent the actual shape of the courtroom, and sometimes she compacted people or changed their orientation to one another to capture the feeling story of a lawyer and the judge in an argument, or a defendant reacting to testimony from the witness.
She had constructed an ingenious and compact container for her pastel sticks and pencils, which stayed with her at all times. She often had seat in the front with a good view of the action, but often could not see the faces of the participants at all, and had to rely on quick takes as they entered and left the courtroom. She was always rushing--- to get there in time to get a good seat, to finish a likeness in 3 minutes or less, to improve and clean up each sketch after court ended, and finally to send finished work to her various employees. She preferred to travel by train and car, starting her day in the middle of the night when necessary.
Rosenberg's resume is extensive. She has sketched defendants as varied as Susan Smith, John Gotti and George Floyd's murderers. She has done Donald Trump and Donald Jr. as well as El Chapo and Bernie Madoff, the Boston Marathon bomber and Michael Milliken, Harvey Weinstein and Bill Cosby, Donald Trump and E. Jean Carroll. She spent years drawing NYC crime bosses. She had several of her sketches chosen as magazine covers, including the first ever used for the purpose of selling news magazines. Her biggest controversy was sparked by a sketch of Tom Brady, which I will let her explain to you. The defendant she felt most sorry for was Anthony Marshall, neglected son of Brook Astor, NYC high society philanthropist.
I had more fun doing a capsule psychological profile of Jane Rosenberg from the tidbits of information she provided about herself than I did reading her takes on the famous people she observed. She is definitely not a word person, nor does she keep the feelings at the front of mind after a picture or trial is done.. Her insights seemed on target, but were not all that deep. They were derived primarily from her observations of behavior, not from testimony. She has access to her feelings about the people she's drawn, but they don't seem to impinge on the rest of her life. Which is a good thing and a credit to her devotion to twice-daily Transcendental Meditation and her family.
The life of a courtroom artist is unexpectedly frantic. Rosenberg would frequently get a call to cover an arraignment, which usually involved tracking down the where and when, and to find a way to arrive in time, pastels in tow. She would relax and possibly meditate when she had found her assigned seat, but then she shifted into a frantic rush to assess the defendant, the lawyers, judge, and witnesses, and find a good theme for a sketch. Her sketches did not always accurately represent the actual shape of the courtroom, and sometimes she compacted people or changed their orientation to one another to capture the feeling story of a lawyer and the judge in an argument, or a defendant reacting to testimony from the witness.
She had constructed an ingenious and compact container for her pastel sticks and pencils, which stayed with her at all times. She often had seat in the front with a good view of the action, but often could not see the faces of the participants at all, and had to rely on quick takes as they entered and left the courtroom. She was always rushing--- to get there in time to get a good seat, to finish a likeness in 3 minutes or less, to improve and clean up each sketch after court ended, and finally to send finished work to her various employees. She preferred to travel by train and car, starting her day in the middle of the night when necessary.
Rosenberg's resume is extensive. She has sketched defendants as varied as Susan Smith, John Gotti and George Floyd's murderers. She has done Donald Trump and Donald Jr. as well as El Chapo and Bernie Madoff, the Boston Marathon bomber and Michael Milliken, Harvey Weinstein and Bill Cosby, Donald Trump and E. Jean Carroll. She spent years drawing NYC crime bosses. She had several of her sketches chosen as magazine covers, including the first ever used for the purpose of selling news magazines. Her biggest controversy was sparked by a sketch of Tom Brady, which I will let her explain to you. The defendant she felt most sorry for was Anthony Marshall, neglected son of Brook Astor, NYC high society philanthropist.
I had more fun doing a capsule psychological profile of Jane Rosenberg from the tidbits of information she provided about herself than I did reading her takes on the famous people she observed. She is definitely not a word person, nor does she keep the feelings at the front of mind after a picture or trial is done.. Her insights seemed on target, but were not all that deep. They were derived primarily from her observations of behavior, not from testimony. She has access to her feelings about the people she's drawn, but they don't seem to impinge on the rest of her life. Which is a good thing and a credit to her devotion to twice-daily Transcendental Meditation and her family.
August 31, 2024
A fascinating review of the author’s 40 year career as a courtroom sketch artist. Full of information about life in the courtroom, the high profile and high stakes cases she’s sketched and the effects of different criminals and the courtroom drama on her. She does transcendental meditation twice a day and it makes sense, because she has a very high stress job. Now in her 70s, she still enjoys her work and understands her importance in sharing moments from the trials and the people involved. The author has sketched John Gotti, El Chapo, Bill Cosby, Harvey Weinstein and Derek Chauvin. Probably her most high profile sketch was of Donald Trump in 2023, and it was the only courtroom sketch used by The New Yorker for its cover. A great book and a quick, yet meaningful read.
October 26, 2024
Really interesting perspectives from a courtroom artist who's been keenly attentive to some of the highest-profile trials of recent decades, including El Chapo, Bernie Madoff, the surviving Boston Marathon bomber, and various members of Trumpworld. There is some very difficult content based on trials related to homicide of children, sexual assault, the murder of George Floyd, and the author's first-hand witnessing an execution in Alabama. I hadn't realized that courtroom artists are contracted individually; the mechanics and time pressure of their work is fascinating. Many sketches are included and they enliven the narrative.
December 17, 2024
This book is pure entertainment! The artist/author tells the stories of and shows her sketches of some of the most famous defendants whose trials she covered: El Chapo the drug kingpin, Tom Brady during the Deflategate” scandal, the Boston Marathon bomber, John Gotti, Harvey Weinstein, Martha Stewart, Donald Trump, Ghislaine Maxwell, and more. Fun to read, despite some difficult passages.
February 16, 2025
A behind the scenes look at some interesting cases from a perspective I've never really considered. Enjoyable read
September 3, 2024
Fascinating look at an intriguing analogue job/career in an increasingly automated & digital world.
February 13, 2025
Round up...Interesting perspective on something that I never really thought about or had any insight into.
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March 5, 2024
In "Drawn Testimony", Jane Rosenberg delivers a tour de force of courtroom sketch art. Through her various sketches and true crime stories, Rosenberg is able to showcase the range of human emotions that those involved in the court system experience on any given day. Rosenberg also makes a moving case for this art to continue in the digital age by describing the lasting impression that courtroom sketches have on the masses long after the news footage moves on to the next story. It was quite interesting to revisit many famous cases including Bernie Madoff, John Gotti, and Ghislaine Maxwell, among others, through the eyes of a courtroom sketch artist who witnessed all of these cases in person. I would highly recommend "Drawn Testimony" to any true crime fan or fan of a well written story. Rosenberg is a masterful writer and artist!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC!
October 2, 2024
This was a fascinating look at high-profile court cases, courtroom dynamics, and the expertise of an artist working under incredibly stressful conditions. I never considered that one person would witness so many newsworthy moments in American history, and loved the insights Jane Rosenberg provides into the challenges, rewards, and logistics of courtroom sketching. I'll be recommending this to anyone who loves art, true crime, self-employment, history, politics, or any combination thereof.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC - this is one I'll reread! #GoodreadsGiveaway
Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC - this is one I'll reread! #GoodreadsGiveaway
December 16, 2024
I listened to this on audiobook format.
This was quite a unique book, in that I have never before come across one written by a courtroom artist about their profession. This particular artist has worked on quite a few notorious cases, too, which has made for fascinating reading. Written in a thoughtful and clear manner.
This was quite a unique book, in that I have never before come across one written by a courtroom artist about their profession. This particular artist has worked on quite a few notorious cases, too, which has made for fascinating reading. Written in a thoughtful and clear manner.
August 20, 2024
“A courtroom sketch artist…capture(s) the human stories of people as they pass through the court and justice system, whether as victims or perpetrators, witnesses…attorneys, judges and court officials…The artist is in court because the camera often cannot be…The best courtroom art conveys…depth of human emotion that is an art form and storytelling medium all its own…”.
For four decades, Jane Rosenberg’s pastel box, pencils and inkwell have been at the ready as she balances her sketchpad and documents “every human story imaginable.” As a figurative artist, her ventures into the courtroom are filled with worry, excitement and fear. She worries, waiting in line, hoping to get a seat with a clear view of her subjects. She is at the whim of the justice system. Rushing to court for an immediate, same day arraignment or trial, she might be pulled from a major trial she had expected to cover. Mick Jagger will be a trial witness for a different case. What excitement!. She fears “boilerplate procedure…the subject whose likeness you must bring to life on the page (but) is whisked away almost the moment you’ve started weighing up the angles of their face.”
“In the courtroom, I am an artist but also a journalist…I am looking for the feature or gesture that stands out…Ghislaine Maxwell did not disappoint…On one of those days…She took out a sketchpad of her own and decided to turn the tables…She seemed composed, relaxed, enjoying the spectacle and her part in it.”
“Drawing Gotti was like a one-man study in power, intimidation and self-confidence.” “It was my first encounter with…the mafia way of doing business.” These were dream subjects for an artist: people who looked like they had been cast to play the part of themselves in a movie…I was learning how to observe in court, not just keeping a close eye on the central action of a witness giving evidence or a lawyer addressing the jury, but looking for the whispered conversations and the telling facial expressions happening offstage.” “I knew Gotti well: the way he would sit with an arm outstretched, as if to extend his already formidable presence; his constant surveillance of the courtroom, as a man who was used to dominating his surroundings…his refusal to ever be still or silent for long; a sideways remark to one of his attorneys.”
A twelve person sketch during the Deflategate Trial of Tom Brady was Rosenberg’s brush with infamy. She was being “lampooned and ridiculed” for her lack of detail in drawing Brady. Social media posts claimed that Brady’s face looked “compacted in one of the machines they use to crush cars.” Rosenberg was mobbed by reporters and received interview requests, finally appearing on “Good Morning America”. By Brady’s second court appearance, she sketched him as the primary figure. “I was slipping gratefully back into the shadows.”
El Chapo was “Chicago law enforcement’s biggest obsession since Al Capone…It was hard to square any of this with the unassuming figure…his appearance gave no whisper of the power he’d wielded, the lavish wealth he’d accumulated or the widespread death and destruction he had wrought…Every morning he entered the Brooklyn Courtroom and waved cheerfully to his wife, looking as if he hadn’t a care in the world.”
Through courtroom sketches and the written word, Jane Rosenberg documents cases involving the Boston Marathon Bomber, Donald Trump, Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby and Bernie Madoff among others. The middle section of this read contains screenshots of her pastel drawings, the method by which she submitted her work to news outlets in order to provide up to the minute media coverage as a trial unfolded.
“Pencil and pastel sketches seem more outdated…in a world not just full of cameras, but in which computers can use artificial intelligence to churn out artwork on demand. Yet for all this change, court art persists…making permanent the expression that crossed a face for only a moment; recording history as it unfolds.”
A fascinating, highly recommended read.
For four decades, Jane Rosenberg’s pastel box, pencils and inkwell have been at the ready as she balances her sketchpad and documents “every human story imaginable.” As a figurative artist, her ventures into the courtroom are filled with worry, excitement and fear. She worries, waiting in line, hoping to get a seat with a clear view of her subjects. She is at the whim of the justice system. Rushing to court for an immediate, same day arraignment or trial, she might be pulled from a major trial she had expected to cover. Mick Jagger will be a trial witness for a different case. What excitement!. She fears “boilerplate procedure…the subject whose likeness you must bring to life on the page (but) is whisked away almost the moment you’ve started weighing up the angles of their face.”
“In the courtroom, I am an artist but also a journalist…I am looking for the feature or gesture that stands out…Ghislaine Maxwell did not disappoint…On one of those days…She took out a sketchpad of her own and decided to turn the tables…She seemed composed, relaxed, enjoying the spectacle and her part in it.”
“Drawing Gotti was like a one-man study in power, intimidation and self-confidence.” “It was my first encounter with…the mafia way of doing business.” These were dream subjects for an artist: people who looked like they had been cast to play the part of themselves in a movie…I was learning how to observe in court, not just keeping a close eye on the central action of a witness giving evidence or a lawyer addressing the jury, but looking for the whispered conversations and the telling facial expressions happening offstage.” “I knew Gotti well: the way he would sit with an arm outstretched, as if to extend his already formidable presence; his constant surveillance of the courtroom, as a man who was used to dominating his surroundings…his refusal to ever be still or silent for long; a sideways remark to one of his attorneys.”
A twelve person sketch during the Deflategate Trial of Tom Brady was Rosenberg’s brush with infamy. She was being “lampooned and ridiculed” for her lack of detail in drawing Brady. Social media posts claimed that Brady’s face looked “compacted in one of the machines they use to crush cars.” Rosenberg was mobbed by reporters and received interview requests, finally appearing on “Good Morning America”. By Brady’s second court appearance, she sketched him as the primary figure. “I was slipping gratefully back into the shadows.”
El Chapo was “Chicago law enforcement’s biggest obsession since Al Capone…It was hard to square any of this with the unassuming figure…his appearance gave no whisper of the power he’d wielded, the lavish wealth he’d accumulated or the widespread death and destruction he had wrought…Every morning he entered the Brooklyn Courtroom and waved cheerfully to his wife, looking as if he hadn’t a care in the world.”
Through courtroom sketches and the written word, Jane Rosenberg documents cases involving the Boston Marathon Bomber, Donald Trump, Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby and Bernie Madoff among others. The middle section of this read contains screenshots of her pastel drawings, the method by which she submitted her work to news outlets in order to provide up to the minute media coverage as a trial unfolded.
“Pencil and pastel sketches seem more outdated…in a world not just full of cameras, but in which computers can use artificial intelligence to churn out artwork on demand. Yet for all this change, court art persists…making permanent the expression that crossed a face for only a moment; recording history as it unfolds.”
A fascinating, highly recommended read.
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