La Bocca della Verita. Titelvignet med portræt af pave Clemens IX 1646 - 1713

Teresa del Po created this print, "La Bocca della Verita" using engraving techniques. Dominating the scene is the 'Mouth of Truth,' an ancient Roman marble mask that tests honesty. The mask's open mouth, ready to 'swallow' the hands of liars, echoes primordial fears of divine judgment. We can trace this motif through centuries, from ancient fertility rites involving ritualistic devouring to medieval morality plays where truth literally consumes falsehood. Note how a putto figure actively chisels the Pope’s name onto the monument base. This echoes the classical ideal of virtue being actively "sculpted" or hewn into existence. Like the ancient concept of Fortuna, the Pope’s image, wreathed in laurel, is held aloft suggesting a connection between earthly power and celestial approval. The cyclical resurgence of such symbols underscores our perpetual quest for truth and justice, eternally reshaping themselves in the collective psyche.