This painting is a commentary about religious iconoclasm. We see an American puritan family entering in a painter studio which is seen, according to their point of view, as a sinner, or as somebody possessed by evil.

The puritans are bringing the bible opened on the 2nd commandment which prohibits painting or sculpting images of practically anything. The composition is based on a 15th century painting by Michael Pacher depicting the Devil bringing the book of lies to St. Augustine. In my composition the place of St.Augustine is taken by the devil and the place of the devil by the puritans family. This painting has been published in an Art History book titled “The art of the Devil” about the depiction of the devil in art history, published in several countries, in America by Cernunnos.