A piece in the Principium series.
The way, the truth, the life.
O caminho, a verdade, a vida.
"Via veritas vita" is a Latin phrase meaning "The way, the truth, the life", taken from verse 6 of chapter 14 of the Gospel of John, as part of Christ's farewell discourse at the Last Supper. It has been used as a motto by many institutions and governments.
The main illustration is by Julius Casserius (Giulio Casserio, Giulius Casseri, or Casserii Placentini), born around 1556 in Piacenza, Italy. Casserius was responsible for the earliest known treatise on obstetrics and gynaecology, and his engravings were used until the 18th century.
The halo is in fact a large Aztec calendar, now on display at the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City.
Arranged along the belly (inside the pulled-back skin) are various alchemical symbols.
