Observations appliquées au système de Lavater, N°1

Observations appliquées au système de Lavater, N°1

Lithograph on paper depicting a physiognomic table inspired by the theories of Johann Caspar Lavater (1741–1801), a Swiss theologian and philosopher known for his studies on the correspondence between somatic traits and moral character.

The work, engraved by Michel Delaporte, shows a series of comparisons between human profiles and animal heads—in this case, an ox and a monkey—to illustrate how, according to physiognomic theory, the expressions and proportions of the human face could reveal internal virtues or flaws.
The figures, arranged in sequence, gradually transition from animal to human, suggesting a symbolic evolution from instinctive to rational temperament.

Period: First half of the 19th century
Technique: Lithograph on paper
Signature: by Michel Delaporte (bottom center)
Dimensions: approx. 27 × 33 cm
Condition: Signs of aging, central creases, and light oxidation consistent with age.

A table of great educational and collectible appeal, testimony to the pseudoscientific research and philosophical curiosities that animated Europe between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.