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.

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1 print : line engraving ; platemark 16.6 x 11.6 cm

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.

<p>Lavater compares this portrait with another on the same page. He distinguishes the professional scholar (this one) from the worldly man by the contours of the nose</p>

Johannes Claubergius: portrait. Drawing, c. 1793.

<p>Le Brun's depiction of the passions is supported by his theory of the passions, which is delineated in the 'Conférence'. In Cartesian style, each compound passion is an organisation of the six simple passions of admiration, love, hatred, desire, joy and sadness. For instance, jealousy is a composite of love and hate; despair "is a strong persuasion of not being able to obtain what we desire"</p>

1 print : line engraving with etching ; platemark 25 x 18.9 cm

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

Works

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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Wellcome uses cookies.

Physiognomy

Images

Works

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.

Wellcome Collection

Today’s opening times