Peter Paul Rubens (Siegen 1577 - Antwerp 1640), The Triumph of Truth, 1622-25, oil on canvas, 394 x 160 cm, Paris, Musée du Louvre

The Virtues: Truth.

The painting is the last of 24 that Rubens painted to decorate the western gallery on the first floor of the Luxembourg Palace, built in those same years by Maria de' Medici, Queen of France and wife of King Henry IV, who wanted to make it her residence.

This enormous pictorial feat still narrates, almost as if it were a modern graphic novel, the life of Maria de' Medici, from her birth in Florence on 26 April 1573 to 15 December 1621, when the reconciliation of Queen Mother Marie with her son Louis XIII took place. This fact was so important to Mary that at the end of the entire cycle Rubens was asked to restate the same concept in allegorical form.

If we look closely at the painting we immediately notice the two planes on which it is built.

In the upper part, almost as if it were an otherworldly scene, we notice the portraits of Queen Mary and her son, King Louis. They look at each other serene and almost smilig and hold a laurel wreath within which we cannot fail to notice a flaming heart of love.

In the lower part there are two allegorical figures, one is masculine and the other is a feminine figure. One represents Time (in classical iconography an old man with wings, signifying its slow and inexorable flow) and finally the other Truth, who is lifted up by the strength of the man and thus becomes the absolute protagonist of the painting. She is naked, because Truth does not need to gird herself with anything, she shines of herself. And the whiteness of her complexion reflects all the light that reverberates on the painting. Even her gaze reveals no fear, for she knows that time will prove her right, and it is she, with her beautiful blonde hair knotted and flowing, who will give the final word on King Louis and Queen Mary: the malicious inferences that wanted a clash between the two no longer have any reason to exist, because Truth tells us precisely that mother and son have reconciled and get on with each other remarkably well.

It almost seems as if the upward movement triggered by Time lifting Truth is transmitted to the top of the painting. And Truth, in doing so, is the protagonist of the painting, capable of surpassing the limit of Time and capable of surpassing even those who, among us humans, are considered characters at the height of power, of might, of wealth.

Love and truth will meet; justice and peace will kiss.Truth will spring from the earth; justice will look down from heaven. (Psalms 85,11-12)

Those who trust in him shall understand truth, and the faithful shall abide with him in love: Because grace and mercy are with his holy ones, and his care is with the elect. (Wisdom 3,9)

Turn to me and be safe, all you ends of the earth, for I am God; there is no other! By myself I swear, uttering my just decree and my unalterable word: To me every knee shall bend; by me every tongue shall swear, (Isaiah 45, 22-23)

And now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, extol and glorify the King of heaven, all of whose deeds are true, all of whose ways are right, and who can humble those who walk in pride. (Daniel 4, 34)

And the Word became flesh  and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth. John testified to him and cried out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.'"From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace, because while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1, 14-17)

I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the evil one.They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world.Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth. (John 17, 15-19)

In him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed with the promised holy Spirit. (Ephesians 1, 13)

(Contribution by Vito Pongolini)