A masterful seventeenth-century engraving by Gérard Audran, depicting the allegorical ascent of Truth, carried by Time, away from the reach of Envy and Slander.

This engraving by Gérard Audran, based on a composition by Nicolas Poussin, depicts the allegorical triumph of Truth over malice. The central figure of Time, depicted as a winged, elderly man, carries Truth upwards into the heavens. A small putto accompanies them, holding a laurel wreath, which signifies victory. Below, the figures of Envy and Slander are cast into the shadows, their forms contorted and serpent-like, representing the base emotions that seek to obscure the clarity of truth. The circular framing suggests the work was intended as a ceiling design or a decorative medallion, typical of the grand decorative schemes favoured in the seventeenth century.

Audran was a master of the burin, and his technical skill is evident in the varied line work used to define the musculature of the figures and the soft, billowing clouds. The composition follows the classical principles of balance and movement, with the upward trajectory of Time and Truth contrasting with the downward, grounded positions of the figures below. The inclusion of the dedication to Monsieur Perrault, the Controller General of Buildings and Gardens to the King, places this work within the context of the French royal court and the intellectual climate of the era. The print serves as a fine example of the collaborative relationship between painters and engravers during the reign of Louis XIV, where the dissemination of classical themes was a primary objective for the artistic establishment. The monochromatic palette focuses the viewer on the narrative clarity and the dramatic interplay of light and shadow, characteristic of the period's preference for theatrical, moralising subjects.