Observations appliquées au système de Lavater, N°3

Observations appliquées au système de Lavater, N°3

Lithograph on paper from the series "Observations Applied to the Lavater System," inspired by the studies of Swiss theologian and philosopher Johann Caspar Lavater (1741–1801), a pioneer of physiognomy.
Created by Michel Delaporte, the plate presents a sequence of comparisons between human faces and animal heads—in this case, the sheep, the goat, and the donkey—to illustrate the correspondence between physical traits and moral qualities according to 18th- and 19th-century theories.

On the left, the human figures associated with the sheep and the goat evoke good nature, intelligence, and a curious spirit; on the right, the comparison with the donkey represents docility and a propensity for hard work. In the center, two crossed pens symbolize observation and the graphic translation of scientific thought.

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

A visual document of great historical fascination, poised between art, science, and philosophical curiosity, testifying to the nineteenth-century interest in the moral representation of the human face.