The artwork “Truth Stolen Away by Time Beyond the Reach of Envy and Discord” is a seminal piece by the artist Nicolas Poussin, painted in 1641. This oil on canvas work, which resides in the Louvre in Paris, France, represents the Classicism art movement and is categorized as an allegorical painting. The painting depicts a rich tapestry of allegorical figures and iconography meant to convey a deeper philosophical message, which was a defining characteristic of Poussin’s work and the broader Classicism movement.
In the artwork, the central figure is a female personification of Truth, presented in a celestial posture, ascending skyward. She is nude, symbolizing purity and unadorned reality. Truth is accompanied by Father Time, traditionally depicted with wings and holding a scythe, who appears to be propelling her upward, thus illustrating the notion that truth endures over time. To the right, a cherub, often representative of divine guidance or protection, holds up a mirror to Truth, perhaps reflecting the self-evident nature of truth itself.
Below Truth and Time, two male figures are engaged in a dynamic clash. The figure draped in red could represent Envy, and the other figure in greenish drapery might be Discord, as per the artwork’s title. Their exclusion from the ascent of Truth implies that truth remains untainted and beyond corruption by such base emotions and conflicts. The tumultuous clouds in the background further accentuate the dramatic and transient nature of the earthly realm compared to the eternal and serene ascension of Truth.
The seamless integration of human anatomy, expression, and the allegorical content within the artwork exemplifies Poussin’s mastery of composition and his intellectual approach to painting; elements that have secured the artwork’s esteem within the Classicism canon.
