The fate of an evil tongue; seven putti stand around an anvil on which they hammer a tongue, landscape and architecture behind 1502 - 1512

"The fate of an evil tongue" is a chiaroscuro woodcut created by Nicoletto da Modena between 1502 and 1512. This artwork features seven putti, small winged figures that embody the beauty of youth, hammering on an anvil with a tongue. This scene serves as a visual allegory for the old adage that "the tongue can wound deeper than any weapon." The backdrop of the scene depicts a ruined architectural landscape with a city in the distance, highlighting the power of time and decay. This artwork is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, NY.