concept

Six faces expressing the passions: (clockwise from top left) joy, fear, pity, scorn, anger, and grief. Engraving by Silvester, 1807.

Two faces showing joy and laughter. Etching by B. Picart, 1713, after C. Le Brun.

Drunken sailors round a table cheering and throwing their hats in the air as a man with a wooden leg recounts the Battle of the Nile. Reproduction of an etching by C. H., c. 1825, after G. Cruikshank.

Six vignettes on a design for a fan illustrating how to lead a moral and happy life. Stipple engraving, 1797.

A part happy, part sad face split in two by jagged wooden planks with Japanese lettering; a Japanese AIDS prevention advertisement. Colour lithograph, ca. 1996.

Two outlines of faces expressing joy (left) and the movement of the face in sadness (right). Etching by B. Picart, 1713, after C. Le Brun.

An old man sits content with a glass in one hand and a tankard in the other. Engraving by F.A. David, 1774, after A. van Ostade.

Faces expressing the passions and showing the muscles relation to expression, with an explanation of the art of 'pathognomy', the reading of facial expression. Etching, c. 1800.

A man recuperating in bed at a receiving-house of the Royal Humane Society, after resuscitation by W. Hawes and J.C. Lettsom from near drowning. Engraving by R. Pollard, 1787, after R. Smirke.

A woman's face expressing desire (left) and a man's face expressing 'joy with tranquility' (right). Engraving, c. 1760, after C. Le Brun.

A French hospital for wounded soldiers, World War I: staff, visitors and patients enjoying a concert, the singer stands on a table. Lithograph after L. Ibels, 1916.

Six faces expressing the human passions: (clockwise from top left) attention, admiration with astonishment, veneration, simple bodily pain, joy with tranquility, and admiration. Coloured etching, c. 1800, after C. Le Brun.

The science of happiness : unlocking the mysteries of mood / Stephen Braun.

Strength and happiness / by Richard A. Proctor.

Joyful noise : a zine about queer joy / Andro and Eve ; [designed and curated by Seleena Laverne Daye].

American mania : when more is not enough / Peter C. Whybrow.

How to develop emotional health / Oliver James.

Galleries and Reading Room

Library

Shop

Café

Please note, due to essential maintenance work to our systems, you will be unable to request items in our collections; apply for, renew or pre-register for a library membership; or use our computers, laptops and printers from 06:00 on Saturday 12 July until 06:00 on Sunday 13 July. Our library will remain open as usual. Thank you for your understanding.

We're running paid user research studies to improve Wellcome Collection online

Take part in research

Happiness

Images from the collections

Images about Happiness

Works from the collections

The science of happiness : unlocking the mysteries of mood / Stephen Braun.

Strength and happiness / by Richard A. Proctor.

Joyful noise : a zine about queer joy / Andro and Eve ; [designed and curated by Seleena Laverne Daye].

American mania : when more is not enough / Peter C. Whybrow.

How to develop emotional health / Oliver James.

Happiness

Images from the collections

Images about Happiness

Works from the collections

The science of happiness : unlocking the mysteries of mood / Stephen Braun.

Strength and happiness / by Richard A. Proctor.

Joyful noise : a zine about queer joy / Andro and Eve ; [designed and curated by Seleena Laverne Daye].

American mania : when more is not enough / Peter C. Whybrow.

How to develop emotional health / Oliver James.

Related topics