FACE to FACE Physiognomy and Mug Shots

Bellwork: Thursday 3/12

JOURNAL ENTRY #15

1. _____ nose a. curiosity

2. _____ lips b. self-confidence

3. _____ eyes c. decisiveness

4. _____ shape of face d. creativity

5. _____ eyebrows e. pride

1. Which parts of the head and face do you

associate with each of the following

characteristics? Give a brief reason why for

each one.

Physiognomy

o Physiognomy: theory based upon the idea

that the assessment of a person's outer

appearance (primarily the face) may give

insights into their character or personality.

The term physiognomy can also refer to

the general appearance of a thing, without

reference to its scientific characteristics.

Earliest History of Physiognomy

China Confucious 551-479 BC

Greece Aristotle 384-322 BC

Europe The Public

Middle Ages

5th-16th Century

Key Scientists

o Johann Kaspar Lavater

o Petrus Camper

o Cesare Lombroso

Lavater

An exact relationship exists between

the soul and the body, between the

internal and the external of a man…the

infinite variety of the souls or internal

nature of a man creates an infinite

variety in his body or externality...If such

differences do exist then they must be

recognizable they must also be the

basis for an exact science.

“

”

Lavater

• Work was influential to art during the 18th

century

• Wrote Essays on Physiognomy for the

Promotion of the Knowledge and the Love

of Mankind

– Discussed principles concerning the shape of

the human face and head

– Extremely successful and was reprinted for

hundreds of years in all of Europe

Silhouettes

• Cut paper silhouettes

began in 18th century

France and were very

fashionable worldwide

before photography

Silhouettes

• Lavater made character assessments of individuals using profile silhouettes.

• He created a special chair to hold sitters still while their shadow was traced

Promoting the Love of Mankind

• Eventually published The Pocket Lavater

which had a sampling of profiles to help

one judge people on-the-go

Assessments by Lavater

Fig. 3. A good head cannot be mistaken,

not even in shade. Conceal the under part

and leave only the nose and forehead

visible and signs of attention, love of order

and certainty are apparent. The forehead,

altogether, is too perpendicular for a

productive mind.

Assessments by Lavater

Fig. 5. A noble forehead, a miracle of purity, the

love of order, I might say, the love of light. Such

the nose, such is all.

Assessments by Lavater

Fig. 1. Much is to be learnt from this shade.

Takes little, gives much’ this is particularly

conspicuous in the too round outline of the lips,

which is most defective. The upper part of the

forehead is something curtailed; otherwise this

countenance is refined, discreet, capable of

talents, taste, wit and morals.

Four Temperaments

Sanguine

Melancholy

Phlegmatic Choleric

“The Pocket Lavater”

Group Analysis

• Groups of 3-4

“Preface” DIRECTIONS:

• Read through the “Preface” as a group.

Underline words that you do not know. Look

these words up in the dictionary/online, and

WRITE DEFINITIONS IN THE MARGINS.

• Select 5 of the quotations on physiognomy to

“translate” as a group. Rewrite these quotes in

modern English.

Body Feature Analysis

• Next, your group will read through the

discussion on the significance of the different

parts of the body.

• Again, underline and define words that you do

not now. Discuss in your group the word

meanings to try and to figure out what Lazaro is

talking about.

• After you have read through all of them, select

FOUR of the body parts to illustrate Lazaro’s

beliefs on the body part and corresponding

personality trait.

Lombroso

Famous for applying

these theories of

physiognomy to criminals.

• Before fingerprinting, criminals were

assessed by measurements of the body

and documentation of facial

characteristics.

• Lombroso introduced psychological

evaluation in conjunction

Lombroso

• “Born” criminal

• Criminals are more primitive humans,

having ape-like features

• Stigmata

The Criminal Man

• Some examples of stigmata: – Deviation in head size from the common

– Asymmetry of the face

– Eye defects and peculiarities

– Ears of unusual size

– Nose twisted, upturned, or flattened in thieves, or curved

or break-line in murderers

– Lips fleshy and swollen

– Pouches in the cheek like some animals

– Abundance, variety and precocity of wrinkles

– Excessive length of arms

– Supernumerary fingers and toes

Unfortunately…

• Lombroso’s ideas were very influential in

the police and judicial systems of Europe.

• Some judges up until the 1930’s ordered

‘lombrosian’ anthropometric analyses of

defendants in criminal charges

• Lombroso seemingly wanted his

experiments to bring about the humane

treatment of criminals

“It would be immoral for the law to seek retribution

from those who were biologically incapable of

restraining from anti-social behavior”

Aftermath • Did not start out as a racist science, but

easy to see how it became one.

• People began believing difference was

more than “skin deep”

• Ugly=Barbarian

• Beauty= Most Civilized

• Example: Nazis using measurements of

skull to determine Aryan features

• People feel the need to back up things

they can’t understand

Defined

o Mug shot: A photograph taken of the head

and shoulders, often from the front and in

profile, usually taken in conjunction with

somebody's arrest.

• Invented in the 19th century by Allan Pinkerton, a famous U.S. detective

• Mug shots were first used in “Wanted” posters

• Police originally wanted to use portraits to

classify criminals

• In comparison to the carte-de-visite

portraits police mug shots seemed truer

• In keeping with Lombroso, measurements

of body parts were paired with the portrait

• Alphonse Bertillon – Organized a way to use mug shots effectively

and regularly

– Bertillon style of mug shot is still used today

– Later ordered profiles be taken of possible

criminals

• Criminals would try to distort their faces to

devalue the portrait

“Special Portraits”

• Around 100,000 negatives taken by

Australian police photographers have

been recovered

• Within these were classic Bertillonnage

style shots but also “special portraits” of

prisoners

Final Thought

Mug shots capture people at their lowest or

most vulnerable. Regrettably we are

forced to calculate their guilt or innocence.

Celebrity Mug Shots

George Carlin 1972, disorderly conduct

Hugh Grant 1995, lewd conduct in a public place with a prostitute

Lindsay Lohan 2007, DUI and possession of cocaine

Elvis Presley 1970, taken just for fun (Elvis had a thing for law enforcement)

Heidi Fleiss 2008, DUI and possession

Rip Torn 2004, DUI

Christian Slater 1994, bringing a gun into JFK Airport

Bill Gates 1975, speeding and driving without a license

Mel Gibson 2006, DUI

Jane Fonda 1970, disturbing the peace and possession

Michael Jackson 2003, charged with seven counts of child molestation

Larry King 1971, grand larceny

Frank Sinatra 1938, charged with adultery and seduction

Vince Vaughn 2001, fighting in public

Haley Joel Osment 2006, I see drunk people…