Truth Coming Out of Her Well to Shame Mankind: Questioning The Truth

Truth Coming Out of Her Well to Shame Mankind

Truth Coming out of Her Well to Shame Mankind is an 1896 piece completed by Jean-Leon Gerome. Known as La Verite in French, the English translation is simply, “Truth,” giving the audience a relatively clear idea of what to interpret from the piece. An oil on canvas, there are many interpretations of the piece that could be argued. However, if one analyzes the lines, contrast, color, value, and texture used by Gerome in Truth Coming Out of Her Well to Shame Mankind, one can see it all draws the audience’s attention succinctly to truth’s overwhelming desire to bring herself to humans, all while heightening the drama of the piece as a whole, and questioning whether we know truth as well as we believe we do.

The lines throughout in Truth Coming out of Her Well to Shame Mankind are all but invisible, typically being used to create shapes that fit in with the scenery and go relatively unnoticed. The exception to this appears to be three important lines seemingly used by Gerome to divide the canvas into three spaces, all while drawing the audience’s eye down from the top of the canvas to the bottom, to meet Truth eye to eye. The first, located on the far right is the iron bar leading up to the well’s pulley, perhaps signifying a device used to retrieve Truth from the depths of the well. The second line is the rope itself, attached to other mechanics of the well’s pulley. It is located toward the center of the piece, veering off slightly toward the right, perhaps giving a nod to the truth and how difficult it can be to deliver it in its entirety until it shows up unabashedly much like Truth does in the piece. Finally, the third line is located to the left of the piece and comes in the form of Truth’s broom. We can assume she uses this to sweep away any lies she finds, or to beat mankind as she shames them for lying. The lines themselves fall in a stairway position, getting lower as one moves from right to left, getting suspiciously closer to the truth as one looks on.

Color and contrast are a significant part of the piece’s meaning and drama, as we are privy to see what light and dark mean to Gerome in the context of truth and honesty in the world. The only lighter colors noticeable on the canvas are located in the top right corner, and in the skin tones of Truth herself; the audience can perceive these to be light from the sun, as well as light from honesty based on their location. It is arguable what the lighter colors in the top corner of the piece could mean, but it is easily surmised this is indicative of a sunrise, or some sort of light source shining toward the well. This would make sense based on the typical broad representation truth is often given, that being that it sheds light on any given situation. If Truth were coming out of her well to deny mankind dishonesty, light would be shed once more on said people. It would also make sense for light to begin shining on Truth first. Furthermore, Truth is fair-skinned, making her stand out in contrast to the dark background of the piece, creating an evenly balanced value within the piece. Finally, Truth’s nakedness is a stark admission to the idea of the naked truth, and how necessary it would be in such a circumstance wherein shame was to bring down on humans.

The tree leaves and stone wall behind her, as well as the stone well opening under her are all painted in dark tones, making the character more noticeable, but also making her message more obvious and dramatic. The shadows used behind and under Truth undermine these characteristics and details within the painting, loudly stating they are not the focal point of the piece, but instead the background. They are to be noticed, but only in order to boost the priority of the piece, which is Truth. Inadvertently, standing in the shadows appears to make each of these things representatives of lies and dishonesty in the world. Truth’s fair skin also helps draw more focus on her darkened, open mouth and seemingly startling expression on her face. She is a delicate figure with light skin, but she carries a coarse broom and a message that must be heard. This insinuation is made more apparent based on the color and contrast, as well as the presence of light in correlation with symbolic truth.

Few shapes throughout the piece are recurrent, save for the circle. The well’s opening is a circle, the pulley for the well is a circle, and Truth’s mouth forms a circular shape as it hangs open in preparation to dispel lies. It becomes somewhat clear the circular shape could be representative of truth throughout the piece. Truth may have clawed her way out of the well, or may have used the pulley to pull herself up, by way of the circle, she entered the world. Truth herself came out of the well’s circular shaped mouth and out of her circular shaped mouth more truth will come as she shames mankind. Gerome may have been pointing to subtle nuances based on turns-of-phrase like, “Coming full circle,” as if to say the truth will always come full circle. Essentially, it often does and a circle would be a particularly profound shape to represent this, in addition, there are a variety of ways cultures around the world reiterate we cannot outrun the truth, as if we are stuck in a never-ending circle with the truth if we ever take on such an endeavor. The assumption adds to the significance of the repetition of circles throughout the piece.

Truth Coming out of Her Well to Shame Mankind has an implied texture to accompany the piece’s message. Most of the piece is dark, grimy, and dirty. The pieces appearing to be clean or remotely intact have been touched by some form of light. For example, there is a clear difference between leaves completely hidden in shadow, and those touched by faint rays of light. There is also a very obvious difference between the state of the stone making the well, and Truth’s skin. The texture is perhaps meant to remind us of the grittiness when honesty and dishonesty battle. The very real juxtaposition between light and dark creates this manifestation between truths and lies, allowing for the audience to see a realistic dichotomy that would otherwise go unnoticed throughout the piece. Though it is not as noticeable or as effective as the other elements, it does drive the drama of the piece and even serves to create a deeper contrast between the colors being used.

In sum, it becomes clear Gerome used several different artistic elements in an effort to explore the various admissions of truth in his work. Lines were used not only to draw the audience’s attention to truth, but to show how precarious the truth can be. Color, contrast, and value were all used to heighten the drama of the piece while showing the contrast of Truth as an individual in comparison to the assumed dishonesty around her. Her nakedness was also an admission to her full honesty. Recurring shapes, such as the circle, were used to express the certainty of truth in life, as well as how we may never outrun it. There is an implied notion the truth will always leave a circle, as Truth came out of the well’s mouth, and the truth will leave her open and circular mouth, as well. Finally, the piece has an implied texture of grime and filth in the shadows, placing an implied comparison between such a texture and dishonesty, especially when weighed against the fair and clean Truth. The truth, then, is clean and free of debris, while dishonesty is dirty and in need of Truth’s broom. Each of these artistic elements were used by Gerome to show Truth’s desperation to leave the well and share herself with humans, making for a dramatic piece that speaks volumes about our capacity to lie, or even know truth at all.