Assessment of a person's character or personality from their outer appearance

concept

A woman, the physiognomy of whom expresses attention excited by desire. Drawing, c. 1794.

Designs of ears and eyes. Engraving after C. Le Brun.

Head of a boy. Drawing, c. 1794.

Frontispiece to an English edition of Charles Le Brun's 'Expressions of the passions of the soul' (left); a face expressing attention. Engraving, c. 1760, after C. Le Brun.

A female face expressing admiration. Engraving by M. Engelbrecht (?), 1732, after C. Le Brun.

Head of John the Baptist as a youth. Drawing, c. 1791, after Raphael.

Frau Gruniacula, a character with a grotesque face. Line engraving attributed to D. Custos.

Guido Reni: portrait. Drawing, c. 1793.

L'art de connaître les hommes par la physionomie ... / par M. Moreau.

A woman's head, expressive of sublime compassion. Drawing, c. 1791, after Raphael.

Outlines of faces: the left-hand pair expressing good judgment, the right-hand pair weakness of mind. Drawing, c. 1789.

An écorché face showing the movements of facial muscles during laughter. Stipple engraving by H. Singleton (?) after G.T. Stubbs after G. Stubbs, 1815.

Head of a man screaming. Engraving after Michelangelo.

A face with hair on end expressing despair. Crayon Manner print by W. Hebert, c. 1770, after C. Le Brun.

Johannes Claubergius: portrait. Drawing, c. 1793.

A laughing face. Engraving by M. Engelbrecht (?), 1732, after C. Le Brun.

Seven vignettes of people suffering from different types of mental illness. Lithograph by W. Spread and J. Reed, 1858.

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Physiognomy

Images from the collections

Images featuring Physiognomy

Works from the collections

Head of a man screaming. Engraving after Michelangelo.

A face with hair on end expressing despair. Crayon Manner print by W. Hebert, c. 1770, after C. Le Brun.

Johannes Claubergius: portrait. Drawing, c. 1793.

A laughing face. Engraving by M. Engelbrecht (?), 1732, after C. Le Brun.

Seven vignettes of people suffering from different types of mental illness. Lithograph by W. Spread and J. Reed, 1858.

Physiognomy

Images from the collections

Images featuring Physiognomy

Works from the collections

Head of a man screaming. Engraving after Michelangelo.

A face with hair on end expressing despair. Crayon Manner print by W. Hebert, c. 1770, after C. Le Brun.

Johannes Claubergius: portrait. Drawing, c. 1793.

A laughing face. Engraving by M. Engelbrecht (?), 1732, after C. Le Brun.

Seven vignettes of people suffering from different types of mental illness. Lithograph by W. Spread and J. Reed, 1858.

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