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Physiognomy and Mug Shots
FACE to FACE Physiognomy and Mug Shots
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Defined 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.
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Earliest History of Physiognomy
China Confucious BC Greece Aristotle BC Europe The Public 5th-16th Century Middle Ages
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Key Scientists Johann Kaspar Lavater Petrus Camper Cesare Lombroso
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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. “ ”
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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
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Silhouettes Cut paper silhouettes began in 18th century France and were very fashionable worldwide before photography
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Silhouettes Lavater made character assessments of individuals using profile silhouettes. He created a special chair to hold sitters still while their shadow was traced
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Promoting the Love of Mankind
Eventually published The Pocket Lavater which had a sampling of profiles to help one judge people on-the-go
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Four Temperaments Phlegmatic Choleric Sanguine Melancholy
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Camper It was important to Camper to distinguish black men anatomically from the apes and show that they were genuine human beings, not a missing link in the evolutionary chain.
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Camper Aside from being a monogenist, he was also a painter
Invented the facial angle
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Lombroso Famous for applying these theories of physiognomy to criminals.
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Before fingerprinting, criminals were assessed by measurements of the body and documentation of facial characteristics. Lombroso introduced psychological evaluation in conjunction
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Lombroso “Born” criminal
Criminals are more primitive humans, having ape-like features Stigmata
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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
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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
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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”
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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
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Defined 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.
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Invented in the 19th century by Allan Pinkerton, a famous U. S
Invented in the 19th century by Allan Pinkerton, a famous U.S. detective Mug shots were first used in “Wanted” posters
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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
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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
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Criminals would try to distort their faces to devalue the portrait
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“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
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Final Thought Mug shots capture people at their lowest or most vulnerable. Regrettably we are forced to calculate their guilt or innocence.
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Celebrity Mug Shots
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George Carlin 1972, disorderly conduct
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1995, lewd conduct in a public place with a prostitute
Hugh Grant 1995, lewd conduct in a public place with a prostitute
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2007, DUI and possession of cocaine
Lindsay Lohan 2007, DUI and possession of cocaine
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1970, taken just for fun (Elvis had a thing for law enforcement)
Elvis Presley 1970, taken just for fun (Elvis had a thing for law enforcement)
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Heidi Fleiss 2008, DUI and possession
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Rip Torn 2004, DUI
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1994, bringing a gun into JFK Airport
Christian Slater 1994, bringing a gun into JFK Airport
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1975, speeding and driving without a license
Bill Gates 1975, speeding and driving without a license
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Mel Gibson 2006, DUI
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1970, disturbing the peace and possession
Jane Fonda 1970, disturbing the peace and possession
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2003, charged with seven counts of child molestation
Michael Jackson 2003, charged with seven counts of child molestation
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Larry King 1971, grand larceny
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1938, charged with adultery and seduction
Frank Sinatra 1938, charged with adultery and seduction
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Vince Vaughn 2001, fighting in public
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Haley Joel Osment 2006, I see drunk people…
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