La Bocca della Verità, Marble sculpture in Jardin du Luxembourg, Paris, France.
La Bocca della Verità is a marble sculpture depicting a female figure with open lips that allows visitors to place their hand inside. The marble surface shows a smooth patina developed over many years from countless hands touching it.
French sculptor Jules Blanchard created this work in 1871, and it was displayed at the Paris Salon exhibition in 1872. A plaster model followed later, showing that the work continued to draw attention after its initial presentation.
The work references ancient Roman beliefs about truth and falsehood, where a spirit within the mouth would punish liars by trapping their hand. Today, visitors approach the sculpture to place their own hands inside, keeping this mythological ritual alive as a playful tradition.
The sculpture is located on the eastern side of the Jardin du Luxembourg near Boulevard Saint-Michel, making it easy to find. It is accessible during garden opening hours, and visitors can interact with it freely at any time.
This sculpture was directly inspired by a famous relief housed in Rome, bringing Roman artistic tradition into a Parisian garden setting. The connection between the original and this adaptation shows how classical ideas traveled across Europe during the 19th century.
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