Truth Coming Out of Her Well To Shame Mankind

According to a 19th-century legend, the Truth and the Lie meet one day.

The Lie says to the Truth: "It's a marvelous day today"! The Truth looks up to the skies, for the day was really beautiful. They spend a lot of time together, ultimately arriving at a well. The Lie tells the Truth: "The water is very nice, let's take a bath together!" The Truth, once again suspicious, tests the water and discovers that it indeed is very nice. They undress and start bathing.

Suddenly, the Lie comes out of the water, puts on the clothes of the Truth, and runs away. The furious Truth comes out of the well and runs everywhere to find the Lie and to get her clothes back.

The World, seeing the Naked Truth, turns its gaze away, with contempt and rage. The poor Truth returns to the well and disappears forever, hiding therein, its shame.

Since then, the Lie travels around the world, dressed as the Truth, satisfying the needs of society, because, the World, in any case, harbors no wish at all to meet the Naked Truth.

Portrait of Jean-Léon Gér?me, c. 1892

“Photography is an art. It forces artists to discard their old routine and forget their old formulas. It has opened our eyes and forced us to see that which previously we have not seen; a great and inexpressible service for Art. It is thanks to photography that Truth has finally come out of her well. She will never go back.”