One of the more interesting pieces of the Doges Palace is this sculpture located in the colonnade of the interior courtyard. The “Mouths of Truth” were places located throughout the city where any citizen of Venice could privately accuse another of a crime. Once a citizen placed their signed “secret denunciations” in the mouth it would then be investigated and the appropriate action taken.
I can just imagine the guy who took out his grievance against the fisherman who shorted him at the market or all the notes they received asking the council to “please do something about all the pigeons.”
More than I think about all the story lines this sculpture was involved in I admire it for what it is. The Venetians could have just as easily built a non-descript slot in the wall. Instead they chose to personify a piece of the building, giving it decoration which reinforced its purpose. Some might argue the simple slot would have been more appropriate, I had the same thought. I’ll let you be the judge. (pun fully intended)
