Saturday, August 29, 2020

Whose that Allegory?


You're never going to guess, so I'll tell you. It's:

Truth Coming Out of the Well Armed With Her Whip to Chastise Mankind
by Jean-Leon Gerome, 1896

Why was she in a well? Probably a reference to a line from Democritus, the Laughing Philosopher: "We know nothing certainly, for truth lies in a deep place;" often translated as "lies at the bottom of a well."

She's clearly yelling, "Hey! My eyes are up here, buddy!"

9 comments:

The Dude said...

Alternately, "Where's supper?"

Some Seppo said...

Her tits are not fake but accurate.

edutcher said...

John loved him some naked harem women.

MamaM said...

From ... a preface that Gérôme wrote for a book by Émile Bayard. It may be about photography, but the artist references Truth:

“Photography is an art. It forces artists to discard their old routine and forget their old formulas. It has opened our eyes and forced us to see that which previously we have not seen; a great and inexpressible service for Art. It is thanks to photography that Truth has finally come out of her well. She will never go back.


Though written in light of the debate that was underway regarding impressionism, it also expresses what's been taking place with the live video recordings streamed online during the "mostly peaceful" protests; in addition to pleasing me with a reference to "opened eyes".

However, it looks like Truth may have left the mirror she's said to carry at the bottom of the well, which also fits the current situation, as "the truth" revealed by video recording does not always or necessarily reflect the all the facts, but conveys an impression as well.

ampersand said...

She'd get mankind's attention better with a bit of leather.

Trooper York said...

What an interesting portrait.

My tastes run to dogs playing poker or full bodied naked women you would find over a saloon in the Old West but this is pretty cool.

MamaM said...

Once again the story behind the Whose Woman reveals more than meets the eye!

Cooler than the water in the well she's emerging from are the roots revealed at the link and the means by which the life pursuits and thoughts of someone who fell into the Well of History, emerge for consideration 2,400 years later! What a picture! What a character! Whaddaguy!

The whole article was fascinating, with this at the end standing out, along with the fact that he was instructed by Magi in astronomy and theology and devoted his inheritance to travel and the search for wisdom:

he accounted for the popular notions of Deity; partly through our incapacity to understand fully the phenomena of which we are witnesses, and partly from the impressions communicated by certain beings (eidola) of enormous stature and resembling the human figure which inhabit the air. We know these from dreams and the causes of divination. He carried his theory into practical philosophy also, laying down that happiness consisted in an even temperament. From this he deduced his moral principles and prudential maxims. It was from Democritus that Epicurus borrowed the principal features of his philosophy.

MamaM said...

Fun comments, good post, exposing me to two things not previously in my purview. Thanks, Mumpsimus!

Amartel said...

This needs a caption contest.