The Fate of the Evil Tongue

About this work

This print shows four naked kids in a wild scene. Two are wrestling with a snake, one holds a burning brand, and another is crushing a talking tongue underfoot. Ruins and trees fill the background, with a tiny cityscape in the distance. The kids look like they’re punishing something—maybe the "evil tongue" written on the scroll below. The print mixes rough energy with careful detail. The kids’ muscles and the snake’s coils are drawn sharply, while the ruins and trees add a dreamy, almost floating feel. The Latin scroll reads *"Lingua pravo rum peribit"*—which roughly means "the evil tongue will perish." Next, check out Renaissance art to see how this fits into the era’s love of myths and symbols.