Museum number
A310
Object
Oil painting: The Mask of Truth by Michele Rocca (c.1670 – c.1751), c.1720
Description
A young woman in a blue cloak ascends the steps of a classical temple to a plinth with a large sculpted face topped by two reclining figures who appear to be watching the action unfold with amused expressions, despite being sculpted. An old bearded man with garlanded head points heavenwards as he leads the girl to place her hand in the mouth of the sculpture. Anxious crowd lower left, grizzled soldier with standard on steps to right. Figure with turban extreme right with silver vessels.
Materials
Oil
On display?
No

Further description

Simple name
Painting
Subject
Allegorical
Dimensions
framed: 6cm (d) x 69.5cm (h) x 81.5cm (w)
regular: 48.1cm (h) x 63.3cm (w)
The Mask of Truth Michele Rocca (about 1670 – about 1751) Oil on canvas, c.1720 The stone Bocca della Verità (‘Mouth of Truth’) in Rome is said to bite the hands off liars. This eighteenth-century Roman painting shows the moment of suspense as an unfaithful wife outwits this public lie detector. Her lover pretends to be mad and rushes up to kiss her as she is led towards the statue. When asked if any man has kissed her other than her husband she answers ‘none but that madman just now’. She escapes with her hand and reputation intact. A310 Gift of Professor Wickstead, 1924

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