The Bocca della Verità (translated from the Italian: Mouth of Truth) became one of Rome’s most popular sights thanks to the iconic movie A Heart and a Crown (1953), starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Pack. The 2,000 year-old marble relief, the original function of which remains unclear, has been located in the porch of the early medieval church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin since the seventeenth century. According to a widespread legend, those who do not speak the truth when putting their hand into the open mouth will lose it.
For the Italian sculptor Mario Ceroli (* 1938), known for his reinterpretations of famous works of art, the Bocca della Verità is a central leitmotif. As early as in the 1960s, he created objects that recalled the ancient lie detector. During this period, Ceroli - influenced by Louise Nevelson and Joe Tilson as well as Pop Art - opted for wood as a material, from which he created impressive sculptures. Another characteristic of his works is their simplicity and material visibility, which is why he is associated with the so-called Arte Povera. In contrast to some of the objects with which this tour began, an elaborate treatment or setting of the surface is deliberately avoided here so as not to distract from the grains of the wood. In addition - inspired by theatrical decorations - Cerioli was interested in silhouettes, which in his works are often staggered behind or next to each other, creating the illusionistic effect of spatial depth.
Text: Alexander Röstel