EntranceDevelopment of physiognomy as a science. History of physiognomy The essence of the ancient teaching called physiognomy
The topic was: "Fundamentals of physiognomy".
The topic is academic and more like an institute coursework :-) Let's try to study this issue in a more interesting way. So what is PHYSIOGNOMY - the study of human expression in facial features and body shapes; in a broad sense - the art of interpreting the external appearance of observed phenomena, the doctrine of the expressive forms of any area of reality.
In eight cases out of ten, a person perceives another person based on his impression of his appearance. The most important element in a person’s physical appearance is his face, and most people in the process of communication most often concentrate their attention on the face of the interlocutor and on his eyes.
The specificity of the technology of personal charm is that a significant part of the time is devoted to the so-called face building - face building. It is here that the classic postulate of proportionality between form and content receives practical implementation.
Vivian Connell in her novel “The Golden Dream” describes the image of a girl, which reflects the information potential that a face has: “She was very young, and on her face he did not notice any traces of cosmetics or lipstick. I could see behind her bright appearance ancient family, this could be judged by the impeccable contours of the head from the noble forehead to the graceful chin. The shape of the nose evoked the most perfect examples of antiquity. It was not possible to discern the color of the eyes - they seemed simply bright in the light of the lamps. Her entire face was sculpted to emphasize her intelligence - everything except her lips. See these lips once and it’s impossible to control your desire, like in Rosetti’s paintings, they were so fresh and tender. They belonged to no one and lived their own lives. Her whole appearance spoke of the fact that she was created for love, she just had to be grown and nurtured, like a precious rose in a spring garden.”
So, we begin to study the “construction” of appearance by understanding our face: its shape, details and their “reading” using the science of physiognomy, by clarifying the effect of facial expressions and a set of face-building exercises.
Face is one of the characteristics of a person’s appearance. Knowing the keys to reading a face and having the appropriate ability to remove information from the face of an interlocutor, you can significantly enrich your communication technology.
The inner essence of a person is “read” in a person’s face. We read about this in the poem by M. Shaffi:
There is a clear trace of history on every face,
Anger, love, suffering, years lived,
The inner essence of the owner is visible here,
These words confirm the idea that the face of every person clearly reflects troubles and joys, likes and dislikes - all the most intimate. Everyone can read this, but not everyone can understand it. Those who managed to understand this created an amazing science - physiognomy.
Physiognomists were able to identify and “read” the hidden characteristics of a person by the features and expression of the face, by its shape and details. This allows you to quickly navigate people, select the appropriate key to communication, and predict behavior patterns.
Physiognomy (in Greek: “physis” - nature and “gnosis” - knowledge, cognition) - the study or knowledge of nature.
Some scientists consider physiognomy an art, others call it a science. So, V.M. Shepel in the book “Imagelogy: Secrets of Personal Charm” writes that physiognomy is “the science of facial types, the ability to read them and identify hidden personality characteristics from their features.”
Physiognomy as the art of recognizing a person’s character by facial features and eye expression originated in Ancient China, and became widespread in the West in Ancient Greece.
Eastern experts have long been able to determine a person’s inclinations and even fate by looking at their faces. In the East, scientists believed that a person’s innate qualities play a major role in success in life. At the same time, external signs are the visible part of the iceberg. In physiognomy there are constitutional characteristics that are transmitted genetically. Physical signs indicate distinct character traits. Thus, physical signs characterizing methods of verbal expression are concentrated in the mouth; signs associated with logical and evaluative abilities are in the eye area. An indicator of internal self-confidence is the ratio of the length of the face to the width of the lower part of the forehead, wide nostrils and a protruding chin, etc. In other words, such bright visual indicators as the forehead, eyebrows, eyes, nose, chin create an informative effect on the face.
It should be said that Eastern physiognomy differs from Western physiognomy, since each culture has specific “reading keys” for a person’s appearance with subsequent interpretation of him as a person. These keys are effective if applied to representatives of the same culture, as they help to quickly and adequately perceive another person. But they are not always suitable when perceiving other cultures. So, the Vietnamese have a sign: a large mouth for men means intelligence, but the Russians do not have such an analogy. Therefore, when representatives of different cultures interact, the mechanism of physiognomic assessment (reduction) may fail.
Physiognomy is the study of the connections between a person’s external appearance and his belonging to a certain type of personality.
Pythagoras is considered the creator of physiognomy. He easily solved not only the problems of the exact sciences, but also the mysteries human face, and he accepted students only after he carefully examined them from head to toe, and did not undertake to teach them mathematics if he did not see signs on their faces indicating an ability for this science.
Indirect evidence suggests that residents also had the ability to “read faces.” Ancient Egypt. But the ancient Egyptian civilization did not leave direct written evidence about this art, and now it is customary to consider the peoples of the East to be the true founders of physiognomy.
The Eastern art of determining a person’s fate by his facial features has been known for more than three thousand years. In China, its founder is considered to be a Taoist sage nicknamed Guigu Tzu (translated from Chinese as “teacher from the valley of werewolves”), who was distinguished by his amazing skill as a physiognomist. This author's pen is the origin of the earliest available this moment classic work about fortune telling - “ Detailed analysis faces." Guigu Tzu had many followers and continuers of his work.
Already during the time of Confucius, the art of reading faces Xiang Mien (according to other interpretations - Siang Min) reached its full flowering. This knowledge was considered sacred, jealously guarded by clergy as a great treasure, passed down through generations from teacher to student, and was accessible only to the highest rulers endowed with unlimited power. This situation determined the main direction of thought of ancient Eastern physiognomists. First of all, they looked for signs on the faces of their compatriots indicating that a person belonged to the ruling elite.
Historians and writers Ancient China They presented their observations in great detail. From their descriptions, one can understand that various genetic anomalies were then considered the main signs of high birth. For example, Emperor Yu (over 2000 BC) had three holes in each ear; Ruler Wen, the founder of the Zhou dynasty, had two nipples on each breast; Emperor Sun, Emperor Yao's heir, was born with two pupils in each eye. Ancient sources claim that Emperor Liu Bei and Emperor Wu of the Jin Dynasty had such long arms that when standing, their palms touched their knees. Emperor Tai Zhu, who ruled during the late Zhou Dynasty, had the same long arms. And the first minister of Empress Wu Izetian, Li Qiao, according to chroniclers, generally breathed through his ears.
It is now impossible to establish which of the testimonies of Chinese historians about the unusual features of their emperors is true and which is fiction. The only thing that can be said with confidence: the first direction of research of ancient Eastern physiognomists is the search for signs of higher power on faces. And those features that in the West were perceived as ugliness, worthy only of display in fair booths, in the East were considered the lot of the chosen ones, evidence of the mercy of heaven.
No less than the signs of rulers, the ancient Chinese were interested in a person’s financial capabilities and life expectancy. These three areas were considered the main ones, although in addition to them, the concept of “prediction of fate” included many other issues - health at different periods of life, relations with justice, family arrangements, etc. Great importance had predictions of relationships with parents, children, and siblings.
It was believed that a person with long, beautiful and shiny eyebrows would have many sisters and brothers with whom he would get along well, while a person with uneven thin eyebrows would have few sisters and brothers, and would quarrel with them over inheritance. Even the sequence of departure of relatives to another world was considered by Chinese physiognomists to be predetermined and readable on the face. Thus, some authors argued that if a person’s upper lip is longer than his lower, then his father will die before his mother, and if his lower lip is longer than his upper, then his mother will die first. Moreover, to confirm the truth of their statements, ancient Chinese sources, as a rule, give one or two examples, considering them quite sufficient for fundamental conclusions.
The general goal of ancient Eastern physiognomy is fortune telling. To achieve this goal, to accurately determine life path, in oriental art EVERYTHING matters. In the literal sense of the word. There is not a single facial feature that does not influence the conclusions of an eastern predictor.
The teaching of physiognomists begins with an understanding of the principle of balance and proportion. Not a single facial feature should stand out strongly or fall out of the overall ensemble. That is why a sign was nailed above the entrance to Plato’s school with the inscription: “Let no unmeasured enter here.” The ancient Greeks were excellent physiognomists, so they strove to sow the eternal, good, and bright into fertile soil, which bore fruit - gifted and talented followers.
The first physiognomic treatise is attributed to Aristotle, who laid the foundations for the doctrine of the face. He believed that facial features and general expression characterize a certain type; they can be used to judge a person’s character, level of intelligence, and talent.
Aristotle’s views were shared by the great healer of the East, Avicenna, who, analyzing the patient’s facial expression, added his arguments on physiognomy when making a diagnosis. Paraphysiognomy is also important in modern research medicine and psychiatry. In this direction, the works of C. Lombroso are interesting, who tried to identify criminals by specific facial features.
There are many physiognomic systems, the most common of them are the systems of Gall, Porta, Lombroso, Lavatera, Ledo.
Franz Joseph Gall's teachings on phrenology were criticized in early XIX century, since there was no evidence that a person's abilities are in any way reflected in the configuration of the skull. However, thanks to Gall, many previously unknown properties of the brain, the centers of speech, writing, hearing, and vision, were discovered. Gall was the first to put forward the problem of the relationship between body structure and character.
Based on Gall's phrenological treatises, the Italian physician Cesare Lombroso believed that there are areas in the human brain from which urges to murder, steal and other vicious acts emanate. He conducted observations of 3,839 people who committed various types of crimes, and examined 383 skulls of executed criminals. C. Lombroso came to the conclusion that in appearance the criminals had deviations from the norm for modern man- sloping forehead with prominent frontal ridges, inability to blush, pain tolerance, tendency to get a tattoo. Lombroso's doctrine of the "inborn criminal" was rejected with contempt by subsequent generations of doctors and lawyers.
Swiss pastor, theologian and poet Johann Gaspar Lavater sketched thousands of faces and compiled them into a “bible of physiognomy.” He argued that by facial features one can recognize the inner essence of a person. Lavater believed that by the expression of the eyes and the outline of the mouth one can judge not only a person’s mood at the moment, but also his character in general. His four-volume illustrated work was very popular in its time. Catherine II showed a special interest in physiognomy and sent a Russian delegation led by her son Pavel to Lavater in Switzerland for an interview.
Let's just try to list a small part of the parameters that are subject to mandatory definition and interpretation in Chinese physiognomy. These include:
ethnic origin (what part of China is this person from);
gender and age of the person;
face type, face shape, parts of the face and their relationship;
facial structure, individual organs, their complex combination and harmony;
color of the whole face, color of individual parts, color of “points of correspondence”;
a comprehensive and detailed assessment of twenty key positions (“three parts”, “five mountains” and “twelve palaces”), mutual influence these positions, evaluation of various combinations;
the mutual influence of the five main elements (wood, fire, water and metal), the influence of each of these elements on each of the above positions;
external resemblance to any animal;
indirect factors: voice, facial expressions, gestures;
time of year and time of day when the study is conducted;
correspondence between facial parts and facial features geographical points and seasons (for example, the forehead corresponds to the south and summer, the mouth to the north and winter), the relationship of these correspondences, their versatile assessment.
the correspondence of certain points on the face (there are over a hundred of them) to a certain age, which is attributed to them by ancient interpreters. Moreover, the point itself, apart from its correspondence to age, does not say anything; the predictor must GUESS its meaning, assessing what he saw as a “favorable” or “unfavorable” sign.
For each of all these signs, evaluations of values are required: a sign can be good or bad, favorable or unfavorable.
Agree, the list is impressive. Moreover, EACH of the listed parameters also has subsections. Oriental physiognomists distinguish more than forty types of eyes alone. And if we add that the meaning of any sign can change the influence on the fate of any other sign, it becomes obvious that it is not possible to simultaneously take into account and objectively evaluate all factors. The reasoning of some modern authors of physiognomic treatises that this system can be fully mastered by any persistent person seems frivolous, to say the least.
It is necessary to honestly admit that genuine Chinese physiognomy, based on the interpretations of the ancient sages and obliging us to take into account the influence of “everything on everything”, is, rather, the art of fortune telling, based on an innate talent, similar to the clairvoyance of Vanga and Nostradamus, and all of the above mass of signs is just a dictionary terms, the basis for predictions. “When you don’t know words, you have no way to know people,” said Confucius.
The figurative conventions of many statements, the allegorical nature and vagueness of most formulations make it possible for any pseudo-soothsayer to adjust his “predictions” to the real situation. In this case, an objective researcher cannot verify the truth of the conclusions.
It is safe to say that a person who predicts fate using the art of Chinese physiognomy either has extraordinary paranormal abilities or is a considerable charlatan.
The European reader who wants to use numerous manuals and independently understand all the intricacies of the Eastern art of physiognomy will be disappointed: the fact is that all the findings and conclusions of the ancient sages relate only to the Eastern (Chinese) type of face. These criteria do not apply to European persons.
Thus, for a European oriental art reading faces is of too little practical value, so it is enough to just familiarize yourself with it without going into details.
Meanwhile, in the West, for more than two thousand years, there has been its own art of physiognomy, which is very different from the East and has its own laws and principles. It is this direction that is of practical interest to us.
Because this topic is very huge, you can study this issue in more detail yourself using the links to the sources given below.
We often look where the smoke is blowing instead of where the wind is blowing.
K. Chapek
In order to better recognize personality and character types, physiognomy can help us, although we can definitely say that today such a science does not exist. This area is very actively used by speculators from psychology. Moreover, it cannot be ruled out that physiognomy as a science will not take place - there is no statistical information. But there is a mystical image. There is a desire to know more than what is being said, what is being hidden.
9.1. Identification of really working physiognomic signs
Famous astrologer, head of the Avestan school of astrology P.P. Globa in his book “Popular Astrology” (1993) introduces readers to the basics of morphoscopy, physiognomy and other sciences. “Every person’s face consists of seven parts, corresponding to the seven planets that the ancients knew: the Sun, Moon, Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, Venus, Mercury. Each of the planets controls something in a person and is associated with his certain mental state. Thus, each part of the face bears characteristics in accordance with the functions of the ruling planet. As for the ears, they do not correlate with the planets, but it is to them that attention is paid first of all when analyzing a person’s face.” The main result of such “science” is the amazingly absurd inconsistencies of various physiognomic features. The same sign from different authors can mean completely unrelated properties. Let's give examples.
Deep-set eyes according to different authors mean: courage, dexterity, morality (E.S. Veldhover, 1998); “evidence of the suffering experienced, as a result of which a person becomes greedy, cunning, insidious” (A. Birakh, 2000); "romanticism, immersion in own world"(S. Min, 2003).
Others associate a snub nose with such qualities as capriciousness, unpredictability (E.S. Veldhover, 1998); cheerfulness, simplicity, breadth of nature, innate spiritual harmony (A.Birakh, 2000); reliability, practicality, friendliness (S. Min, 2003); capriciousness, unpredictability (B.Yu. Khigir).
There can be many of them:
- frank fictionality of all signs;
- difference in assessment of situational behavior;
- a small group of observed;
- random coincidences of a sign and property;
- discrepancy between a sign and a property (if a person has weak character, then it is unknown in which part of the body these properties should be reflected: ears, head and something else);
- incorrect interpretation of the sign (“shaggy” eyebrows for some are interpreted as “curly” for others).
However, the most plausible reason seems to be the overpopulation of physiognomy by ordinary charlatans.
“Deep-set eyes - such eyes most often belong to people who are immersed in their own world and deeply romantic. Although you shouldn’t be fooled by the air of mystery. They never lose a sense of reality, either in actions or in feelings” (Ch. Kuai, 2003). One sentence contains mutually exclusive properties. As they say, “both ours and yours.” And there are an infinite number of such examples of outright manipulation and adjustment of the text. There are especially many of them in the “works” of Eastern authors.
Happy exception from general rule can be considered two well-known books: the method of Veldhover E.S., Vershinin B.V.
Secret Facial Signs (1998) and Fulfer's Mecca The Art of Face Reading (2004). The work of E.S. Veldhover can be represented as an attempt to connect well-known myths of the past with real medicine, to make physiognomy from a phenomenon into a science. But we have a different attitude towards the works of Ch. Kuai “How to learn to read faces” (translated from German, 2003) and B. Lin “Reading faces” (translated from English, 2003).
We are faced with a problem. Either we should forget about the existence of physiognomy as a science, or try to squeeze a rational grain out of the stream of garbage. The second would be preferable. Therefore, we had to act like this: from the many combinations of “feature - property”, select only those that have confirmation in sources independent of each other. But, highlighting useful information, it is worth checking with examples.
There are a large number of public people about whom the press writes even more than necessary. If the already confirmed information about the “feature-property” relationship does not find specific visual confirmation, then it should also be ignored. The comparison of the identified relationship using the example of the immediate environment should also be included in this category. If the science of “physiognomy” does not exist, then nothing will pass through such a sieve. If it exists, then some of the information will pass through. In fact, we double-filter the information we receive, checking it for consistency with other authors and for its consistency with the examples that are always before our eyes. As a precaution, authors who did not provide their data with figures were discarded. It is precisely the different interpretation of the sign seen by the authors that is one of the biggest shortcomings of their works. Therefore, the combination of information “feature - property” was carried out not by name, but by actual type.
Also a big problem is the different formulations of the characteristics. For example, are “decisiveness” and “purposeful” the same characteristic or different? In this case, it seems that the second word absorbs the first - purposeful people are always quite decisive.
However, there are more difficult cases. Nevertheless, in all difficult situations, preference was given to the most general characteristics. Of the more than 200 identified features, we selected about 40. Thus, the reliability of the information obtained from an ordinary book cannot be assessed as more than 15-20%.
Since ancient times, the human face has attracted scientists, thinkers and researchers. Each of them sought to create his own theory. Unfortunately, all these theories were imperfect.
Physiognomy was studied by the Greek philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras(VI century BC) and scientists of ancient Greece and Ancient Rome: outstanding doctors Galen(II century BC) and Celsus(1st century BC), major thinkers Cicero(1st century BC), Pliny the Younger(1st century BC), Roman orator Quintilian(1st century BC), etc.
One of the most serious works devoted to the study of the human face belongs to Aristotle. He is considered one of the creators of the doctrine of physiognomy. He used it to recognize the spiritual qualities of people by appearance. In his works, for example, there are the following words: “If people have large foreheads, then they are slow in their movements; if they have broad foreheads, they are easily susceptible to madness; if their foreheads are rounded or convex, then they are hot-tempered. Straight eyebrows are a sign of a gentle disposition. The rigidity of character is expressed by eyebrows that curve towards the nose. If the eyebrows converge with each other, then perhaps the main character trait is jealousy; low eyebrows are a sign of envy.”
Aristotle paid great attention to the eyes. Based on his observations, he made the following conclusions:
1. The state and capabilities of a person’s psyche can be judged based on an assessment of the structural features of his head and face.
2. In addition, certain features of a person’s face are similar to animals, which are endowed with qualities supposedly inherent to them by nature: “a thick nose, like a bull’s, means laziness; a wide nose with large nostrils, like a pig’s, is stupidity; a sharp nose, like a dog’s, is a sign of choleric temperament; an aquiline nose means courage; hooked, like a crow’s - alertness; He who has a wide mouth is brave.”
3. You can also establish similarities between an individual person and representatives of entire races and nationalities - Ethiopians, Indians, Hittites, etc., then, after analyzing the personal characteristics of different peoples, determine the individual character by the severity of the corresponding external traits.
4. If a person’s face bears features characteristic of the manifestation of certain emotional states (peace, fear, passion), then it can be argued that this particular state is actually his individual feature. For example, if a person’s face constantly resembles a mask of fear, then he is most likely fearful by nature.
Aristotle's provisions have long served as the basis for the observations of physiognomist researchers. In the Middle Ages, like many other sciences, physiognomy “went underground,” but starting from the 15th century, it again became a subject of general interest, and was practiced by doctors, clergy, philosophers, and judges.
Contribution Leonardo da Vinci the portrayal and understanding of faces is invaluable. He studied in detail facial expressions, gestures and other expressive movements of a person, noting that certain facial expressions are characteristic not only of joy or grief, hatred or sadness, but also of various nuances of these experiences. “The one who laughs does not differ from the one who cries, neither with his eyes, nor with his mouth, nor with his cheeks, but only in the fixed position of the eyebrows, which are connected in the one who cries, and rise in the one who laughs..., eyebrows and mouth according to -change differently for different reasons for crying.” The portrait of Mona Lisa he created is one of the greatest masterpieces of art. Leonardo da Vinci “depicted that delightful smile, when you look at it you experience heavenly rather than earthly joy... looking closely, I could swear that the vein on her neck was beating,” Visari wrote. The posing lady was entertained by musicians hired by Leonardo, perhaps this explains her legendary smile.
The portrait of Mona Lisa opened up a new approach to painting through a deeper understanding of another person from his inner world than before, based on empathy - penetration into a person’s feelings and experiences. When you look at the portrait for a long time, it seems that it comes to life and the lady enters into a dialogue with you.
In his “Treatise on Painting,” Leonardo da Vinci recommended that artists always have an album with them so that at any time they could make a graphic sketch of an interesting person they accidentally met. At the same time, he advised paying attention to people’s emotional experiences - joy, sadness, etc. and in this way accumulating visual material about the human face, human facial expressions, which in the future can be useful when painting large canvases.
In his diaries, the artist reflects on practical techniques for quickly memorizing a face: “... about depicting a human face in profile at one time and at one glance. For this case you need to remember the variety of four various parts profile - nose, mouth, chin and forehead... if you want to have ease in remembering facial expressions, then first memorize the eyes, noses, mouths, chins of many heads, as well as throats, necks and shoulders. Let's take the case that there are ten types of noses, they are good as far as the profile is concerned. There are eleven types of noses at the front, and you will also find differences in other parts.”
Leonardo da Vinci was the first to provide a correct explanation of the connection between stable facial expression and repeated movements of the facial muscles. For his research in the field of physiognomy, he chose old people, since their wrinkles and changes in facial features spoke of the suffering and feelings they had experienced.
Zurich pastor Johann (Gaspard) Lavater(XVIII) was the most famous physiognomist of his time, a talented researcher and a tireless worker who had logical thinking and extraordinary intuition. He owns a ten-volume work "The art of knowing people by their faces." Like no one else, he knew how to determine the character and future of a person by his face. His job "Fragments of physiognomy", published between 1775 and 1778, was translated into different languages and was used by specialists different countries for many years.
Lavater studied the psychological characteristics of a person, using the confessions of parishioners in confession, and then compared the data obtained with the characteristics of facial features. In this way, thousands of people well known to him were described, and on the basis of this material, conclusions were drawn about the relationship between the profile shape and the internal make-up of a person. Thus, he believed that the structure and outline of the skull and forehead reflect the mental life of a person, and the structure of the facial muscles, the outline of the nose and cheeks reflect the moral and emotional life; the shape of the mouth and jawline reveal sensual, animal qualities.
Lavater, determining character traits by the relief of the face and the structure of the skull, claimed to be the founder of a new science: “Faces are as accessible to reading as books are, the only difference is that they are read in a short time and deceive us less.”
However, Lavater made a number of mistakes that were unacceptable for a serious researcher, and subsequently his works aroused serious criticism on the following points:
The subject of his observations was not all facial features and their totality, but mainly its lower part and the so-called facial profile.
Lack of a systematic approach.
Objective patterns were quite often replaced subjective opinion author.
Nevertheless, Lavater's ideas found their admirers. People from all over the world came to his performances and physiognomic sessions; they sent him portraits, casts and masks. They admired the physiognomist, extolled him, but at the same time they were afraid of him. For example, Count Cagliostro, an adventurer and sorcerer about whom there were rumors that he was 350 years old and could turn iron into gold, avoided meeting with him. The Austrian physician Franz Joseph Gall, who created his own interesting theory, largely shared Lavater’s views.
Franz Joseph Gall- a famous Austrian doctor and anatomist studied the brain. He was the first to express the opinion that the features of thinking should be associated with the features of the structure of the brain. IN cerebral hemispheres brain, he wanted to find “centers” to determine all human abilities.
Gall created detailed maps brain, where he indicated the places of concentration of a person’s moral and intellectual qualities. He argued that by the shape and location of the bulges and depressions on the skull one can determine the character, inclinations and mental abilities of each person. Using special measurements, he found “bumps of ability” for music, poetry and painting, “bumps” of ambition, stinginess, courage, maternal love, etc.
He argued that strictly defined areas of the brain are responsible for the mind, emotions and feelings. The severity of certain qualities can be determined by the bulges in the corresponding place on the skull. By the “bumps” on the skull, Gall and his students judged not only the predominance of certain mental or moral aspirations of a particular person, but also predicted the future life of the child and tried to give advice on what his upbringing should be like.
Thus, the doctrine of “phrenology” was formed. (from the Greek phren - mind). The word "phrenology" was introduced by a student of Gall Spurzheim, Gall himself was against this term and used the terms “cephaloscopy” (from the Greek kephale - head),"cranioscopy" (from the Greek kranion - skull), "craniology".
Gall's theory quickly gained popularity, and his ideas played a positive role, as they:
Stimulated research into brain tissue;
Served as a source of a new direction in research on the problem of localization of functions in the brain;
Contributed to the development of neuropsychology.
Therefore, the words written on Gall’s grave are quite fair: “Let us be grateful to him for what he did, and refrain from accusing him of not doing what others would not dare to do, although he paved the way along which they they'll go." Scientists have now compiled detailed maps of brain functions.
The theories of I. Lavater and F. Gall played a certain role in the formation of Cesare Lombroso's theory of the innate criminal type.
Caesar (Cesare) Lombroso- Italian psychiatrist, anthropologist, criminologist, professor at the Universities of Pavia and Turin.
All his life, Lombroso worked as a prison doctor and devoted his research to the narrow field of physiognomy - the study and description of the type of so-called "criminal person" He managed to create a classification of facial features of criminals. Lombroso identified the characteristics for classification by analyzing the appearance of 3,839 people who committed crimes and 383 skulls of executed criminals.
Lombroso suggested that criminals not only differ in appearance from normal people, but also carry rudimentary (residual) signs of a primitive man: irregular structure of the skull, facial asymmetry, dull sensitivity, inability to blush, etc. Based on these signs, Lombroso came to the conclusion that it is possible not only to establish the physiognomic type of a criminal person , but also to find features inherent in certain categories of criminals, for example, thieves, murderers, rapists. Anomalies in the psyche of these people are expressed in vindictiveness, vanity, pride, weakness of reason, underdevelopment of moral feelings, peculiarities of speech and even a special writing reminiscent of the hieroglyphs of ancient peoples.
In the book “Criminal Man” (1876), he writes that “murderers for the most part brachycephals(short-headed, with a large transverse diameter of the head) with powerful jaws, long ears and glassy eyes; the thieves - dolichocephals(long-headed, the longitudinal dimensions of the head significantly exceed the transverse ones) with small eyes; swindlers and arsonists have a crooked nose...”
The shape of the skull, nose, ears, hair color were observed and measured and served as the basis for the conclusion that the psychophysical characteristics of individual ancestors live in a criminal person due to the law of heredity. The results of these studies are described in the book “The Newest Advances in the Science of the Criminal” (1890), which was published in Russian in 1892 and was immediately subjected to active criticism by anthropologists. In the same year, the Brussels International Criminal Anthropological Congress was held, at which the inconsistency of the concept of a criminal person as a special type and all the provisions derived from this concept (the characteristic shape of the nose and ears) was recognized.
Thus, Lombroso's teachings did not find further application. Of course, it would be very easy and convenient to identify criminals by the shape of their eyebrows or nose, but the experience of criminologists shows that crimes are committed by people of very different appearance, sometimes even quite pleasant and attractive.
Another outstanding scientist who contributed to physiognomy is Charles Darwin. An English scientist, naturalist, and founder of the modern theory of evolution, he showed great interest in the expressive movements of humans and higher animals. He outlined his observations and conclusions in his work “On the Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals” (1872). His ideas served as the basis for the creation of various reference books on psychological interpretations of facial expressions.
He derived general laws governing the manifestation of emotions throughout the animal world, and created a special branch of science - comparative biology.
He wrote that “each individual preferentially contracts only certain muscles of the face, following his personal inclinations, these muscles can be more developed and therefore the lines and wrinkles of the face formed by their usual contraction can become deeper and more prominent.”
Darwin suggested that facial movements were formed from useful actions, that is, what is now an expression of emotion was previously a reaction that had some adaptive significance. For example, baring your teeth in anger is a residual reaction from using them (teeth) in a fight; relaxation of the facial muscles - a smile expressing friendliness - is the opposite of muscle tension characteristic of hostile feelings; trembling is a consequence of muscle tension when mobilizing the body, for example for an attack.
Facial expressions are determined by innate mechanisms and depend on the type of animal. It follows that facial reactions must be closely related to certain emotions.
Darwin's theory is only partially correct, since facial expression is not entirely determined by innate factors. This is evidenced by numerous observations and experimental data. Much research has been devoted to finding out whether a person is able to correctly recognize the facial reactions of other people. These studies used three types of material: drawings of facial reactions, photographs of actors portraying emotions, and photographs of spontaneous expressions of emotions.
The Russian follower of physiognomy was a Russian professor I. A. Sikorsky, in 1861, he wrote the book “General Psychology with Physiognomy,” in which he gave a detailed account of physiognomy, widely using literary examples and reproductions of artistic paintings.
In his other book, “Physiognomy in an Illustrated Presentation,” he gave a similar portrait of the killer: “Big ears, overdeveloped lower jaw, thick lips (weakness of conscious will), weak contraction of the facial muscles.”
In the same work, the professor cites features that distinguish healthy person from the patient: strong tension in the muscles of the body (straightening of the body), tension, cheerfulness, freshness, originality of mind, straightness of the eyebrows, facial expressions of joy. Opposite traits, in his opinion, will indicate weakness, fatigue, and sickness of a person.
I. M. Sechenov- the founder of the Russian physiological school - in the book “Reflexes of the Brain” he wrote: “ Mental activity a person is expressed, as is known, by external signs, and usually all people, both simple, and scientists, and naturalists, and people who study the spirit, judge the first by the last, i.e. external signs... Without exception, all the qualities of external manifestations of brain activity, which we characterize, for example, with the words spirituality, passion, mockery, sadness, joy, etc., are nothing more than the result of a greater or lesser shortening of some muscle group - an act like everyone knows, purely mechanical.”
Over the years of the existence and development of physiognomy, truly invaluable material has been accumulated, including connections between facial features and human character traits. Physiognomy determines not so much the actual character and possible behavior, but also how a person in most cases is perceived by an unfamiliar, unprejudiced person who sees him for the first time.
In the following chapters you will find all the necessary information with which you will be able to “read” faces. This skill will never be superfluous: meeting a new colleague, partner or flirting on a dating site, choosing a life partner or a new employee. What can you expect from a person? How will he behave in a given situation? Is it right for you personally? You can easily find the answer to all these questions by reading the book to the end.
My light, mirror, tell me...
A. G. Sechin
ANCIENT PHYSIOGNOMY AS A METHOD OF TYPIZATION IN FINE ARTS
The work is presented by the department art education and museum pedagogy.
Scientific supervisor - Doctor of Art History, Professor N. A. Yakovleva
The article is devoted to the topic of interpretation of works of fine art through ancient physiognomy, which is considered as a tool, a kind of matrix that generalizes reality according to the laws of logic and rhetoric. The result of this generalization is typical images, in particular the typical masculine image, striking examples of the embodiment of which in plastic were the images of Alexander the Great by Lysippos.
The article is devoted to the theme of interpretation of works of the fine arts by means of ancient physiognomies which is considered as a tool, some kind of a matrix generalizing the reality under laws of logic and rhetoric. A result of this generalization is typical images including a typical masculine image which was embodied, in particular, in Lysippus" portraits of Alexander the Great.
Physiognomy, which teaches how to recognize a person’s character by his appearance, arose in the ancient world as practical knowledge, but later, thanks to Aristotle (384-322 BC), it acquired the status of a science. The name of the great ancient Greek philosopher is associated with the earliest of the physiognomic treatises that have reached us (late 4th or early 3rd century BC). It is usually called “Physiognomy” by Pseudo-Aristotle, since the work of the thinker himself has not been preserved in its entirety, and has come down to us summary two manuals on physiognomy that came out of his school. All subsequent similar works: Polemon of Laodicea (II century AD), Adamantius (IV century AD) and Latin Anonymous (IV century AD) - bear the features of the obvious influence of Aristotle , although they differ in details. Aristotle's treatise postulates the main physiognomic principle of recognizing the character of a living being (man, beast, etc.) by its appearance, for what appears in appearance is not opposed to its essence, but forms a unity with it - eidOz, i.e. holistic volumetric -plastic appearance, defining ways of feeling-
thinking and thinking, as well as the line of behavior of this creature.
Although Pseudo-Aristotle's Physiognomy and other works on the subject mentioned have been known since the Renaissance, they for a long time were of interest mainly to specialists in the field of classical philology. In 1893, R. Foerster published a scientific edition of ancient physiognomic treatises1, which gave impetus to a broad search for physiognomic descriptions in ancient literature and their study as a phenomenon of a literary text in relation to the typology of the subject2. In classical philology, a view of ancient physiognomy was formed from the point of view of the methods it used to generalize diverse empirical material, the result of which is a number of physiognomic types3. It did actual problem understanding physiognomy as a method of typification in literature and fine arts. But if in literary studies the progress in solving this problem is obvious,4 then in relation to the fine arts the results seem to be very modest, although they have long been noticed
but that ancient physiognomic treatises “are an invaluable... source for reconstructing the semiotics of a Hellenistic portrait or a Byzantine icon”5. Our study is intended to partly fill this gap.
Currently, scientists identify three physiognomic methods of generalizing reality: anatomical, zoological and ethnological. The anatomical method looks for signs of a particular character in the structure of the body and the features of a person’s appearance, thus relying on his innate and unchangeable nature (^and<гг£). Здесь обращает на себя внимание противопоставление мужского начала жен -скому в широком смысле этих определений, а не в узком значении принадлежности к одному из полов. Зоологический метод учитывает внешнее сходство человека с животным определенного вида, поскольку животные одного вида обладают определенным характером. Следует отметить, что значение слова «характер», которое пришло в современные европейские языки из древнегреческого, ранее отличалось от того, что вкладывается в него сейчас. Его смысл претерпел значительные изменения уже на протяжении античности, постепенно подвергаясь процессу интериоризации - движения от внешнего к внутреннему6. Во времена Аристотеля и в эллинистическую эпоху характер (характер) - это черта, знак, примета, присущая человеку или животному по природе, от рождения и указывающая на его внутренние качества. Наконец, этнологический метод основан на различии рас и этносов, а свойственные им черты характера обусловлены разными средами обитания. На основе указанных трех способов обобщения можно выделить соответственно гендерную физиогномику, зоофизиогноми-ку и этнофизиогномику.
In literary texts, the main form of physiognomic characteristics is an iconic (e1koi1ku£) portrait - a condensed non-union description of the appearance of a particular person, which in ancient times
art has been known since the time of Homer and performed a dual function in literary texts: 1) thanks to its realistic form, it gave the fictional image greater persuasiveness; 2) expressed the character’s character through appearance7. Iconic portraits, under the influence of the generalization methods outlined above, under certain conditions, turned into topoi (tolo1), in other words, commonplaces (ko1io1 golo!), which were applied to the character already in finished form, which closely connects physiognomy with the ancient rhetorical tradition. This is especially obvious in relation to works of the biographical genre, where iconic portraits have become an integral part of one of the permanent sections of biography - the external appearance of the hero. Thanks to this transformation, the iconic portrait ceased to be a portrait, but rather became an image - an element of the artistic form. So, physiognomists, while typifying these individual phenomena, developed a peculiar substrate of artistic images - types.
In our opinion, physiognomic topoi have their plastic correlates in ancient fine art, where in this case we should be talking about iconic images. Based on the above definitions of eidos and character, an iconic image is a physiognomic description of the eidos of a living being as a set of its characters. Consequently, the iconic type is an image that has physiognomic characteristics - characters common to any group of living beings.
Let us consider the process of physiognomic typification using the example of the male, or masculine, type, clearly represented in ancient treatises and literary texts. In the animal world, according to ancient physiognomy, the most striking embodiment of masculinity was the lion (about Leai). A fairly detailed physiognomic description of the lion in the treatise of Pseudo-Aristotle
is expressed in the following eloquent passage: “In regard to his soul, he is noble and generous, generous, ambitious, merciful, straightforward and attached to those with whom he lives.”8. In addition, the physiognomic signs of a lion's nature, i.e., lion's characters, as a rule, are marked by people of a courageous type. This correlation is introduced by the often used expression in Physiognomy “this correlates with lions” (aiasreretsi elmtoi^ Aeoitaf, although it should be noted that the expression “this correlates with the masculine [class]” (aiasreretsh ezhm tu arrei [ueioS]) is no less popular. In both cases we are talking about a noble and fearless creature, which makes it possible to combine the lion and the courageous man into one class - a class that we call the masculine type, or the typical masculine image. In ancient literature and fine art, this type is represented by the metaphor of the man-"lion" "
Aristotle repeatedly turned to this metaphor in a wide variety of his writings. A widely known example is from his “Rhetoric”, designed to show the difference between such figures of speech as comparison and metaphor: “So, when the poet says about Achilles: “he rushed like a lion,” this is a comparison. When he says: “the lion rushed” - this is a metaphor: since both have courage, the poet, using the metaphor, called Achilles a lion. In the final chapter of the First Analytics, Aristotle formulates physiognomic logic again using the example of a lion, essentially explaining its symbolic nature: he who has large limbs is brave; every lion has large limbs, therefore, all lions are distinguished by courage10. Consequently, this sign, or character, defines a certain new community of creatures, uniting lions and people with large limbs into a class, or type, which physiognomy interprets as masculine.
Aristotle's physiognomic logic makes it possible to involve ancient
iconic images, modern semiotics and closely related general rhetoric. In the semiotics of a portrait, there is the idea of a tonic sign, which, according to C. S. Peirce, reflects the physical similarity of the image with the model11. W. Eco recently proposed a different, more complex interpretation of this concept. Iconic signs are by no means limited to just visual resemblance to the model, but also contain its conceivable characteristic, which is understandable to the viewer, and, thus, the visible must correspond with the conceivable in a language understandable to the public12. To be understood, artists use easily and immediately recognizable, known to a wide range of viewers and therefore convincing visual metaphors - the equivalent of topoi in literature, especially in rhetoric, and referential metaphors contained in physiognomic treatises. “The artist selects them from both art and experience in order to inform a certain audience - his exemplary [modeled] spectators - about the personality of the model, her desire and right to immortality"13. Physiognomy had excellent opportunities for this, including offering a whole arsenal of signs of the masculine type - the metaphor of a courageous man-"lion": well-articulated limbs and body; slightly sunken eyes; frowning brow; a proportionate square in the forehead; hair above the forehead, facing up and back (aitoLg]). It should be borne in mind that in the plastic arts, taking into account the specifics of spatiality, the listed visual codes of metaphor find their material embodiment. Thus, physiognomy played the role of a kind of matrix for the crystallization of types both in literature and in the visual arts.
In antiquity, the paradigm of the human “lion” found its exemplary embodiment in the images of Alexander the Great (356,323 BC) by the sculptor Lysippos. In Greek society, the masculine type
found its most vivid expression in the form of a hero, for example Achilles, from whom it was most likely borrowed by Alexander14. It is known about the Macedonian king that in life he strove to play the role of his favorite heroes, in particular Achilles15. There is an opinion that Alexander used costume, makeup, and etiquette so actively and purposefully for this that he himself could be considered a work of art16. And from court artists he demanded that his “lion” essence be expressed outwardly, and in such a way that his images could be correctly read by the public.
This was reflected both in the verbal description of the appearance and character of the young king, and in his numerous images. Along with the fairly general features of the young hero’s physiognomic appearance: youth, beauty, “a well-articulated body,” there were also extremely characteristic signs of his lion’s nature, of which the so-called aiasttoLt] received the widest resonance as a visual code - a tuft of hair billowing forehead17.
Currently, the range of works that equate to statues of Alexander by Lysippos usually includes
sculpted heads of four types: Er-bach, Dresden, “Schwarzenberg”, Hazard, as well as a full-figure image of the king like the Louvre figurine of Fouquet18. These statues - mostly marble Roman copies - are associated with Lysippos thanks to comparative stylistic and iconographic analysis, supported by information from ancient written sources. The valor (aretz) and other virtues of Alexander, his masculinity (arreyuta), and finally, the lionism (Aeoitso5r]^ = Aesoi + egdoS) of his nature required an appropriate external expression, the signs of which in plastic works allow one to describe oneself in terms, definitions and constructions from physiognomic treatises.
Thus, there really was a close relationship between ancient physiognomy and the plastic arts, which allows us to interpret the surviving ancient works of fine art through physiognomic descriptions, while relying on a rich set of referential metaphors present in concentrated form in ancient physiognomic treatises.
NOTES
1 Scriptores Physiognomonici Gaeci et Latini: In 2 vol. /Rec. R. Foerster. Lipsiae: Teubner, 1893. In 1981, the treatise of the Latin Anonyme was republished: Anonyme Latin. Traitft de physiognomonie / Texte etabl., trad. et commenffi par J. Andm. Paris: Socifitft d'ftdition "Les Belles Lettres", 1981.
2 Misener G. Iconistic Portraits // Classical Phililogy. 1924. Vol. 19. P. 97-123; Evans E. C. Physiognomics in the Ancient World. Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 1969.
3 Andru J. Introduction // Anonyme Latin. Traiffi de physiognomonie... P. 12-15; Barton T. S. Power and Knowledge: Astrology, Physiognomics, and Medicine under the Roman Empire. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press, 1994. pp. 115-128.
4 Nakhov I. M. Physiognomy as a reflection of the method of typification in ancient literature: Towards the formulation of the problem // Living Heritage of Antiquity. M.: Moscow State University Publishing House, 1987. pp. 69-88; IlyushechkinV. N. Ancient physiognomy // Man and society in the ancient world. M.: Nauka, 1998. pp. 441-465. The last article provides a detailed overview of foreign research on this topic.
5 Ayerintsee S.S. Preliminary notes for the study of medieval aesthetics // Old Russian art. Foreign connections. M.: Nauka, 1975. P. 392. Note. 59.
6 MikhailovA. V. From the history of character // Man and culture: Individuality in the history of culture. M.: Nauka, 1990. pp. 43-72.
7 Misener G. Op. cit. P. 97, 103-104.
8 Ps.-Arist. Phsgn. 5. 809b 41.1-26.
9 Arist. Rhet. III. 40. 1406 b. 20-23.
SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES
10 Arist. Anal. pr. II. 27. 70 b 6-39.
11 BelM., BrysenN. Semiotics and art history / Trans. from English E. and G. Revzin // Issues of art criticism: Journal of history and theory of arts. 1996. No. 9 (2/96). pp. 533-534.
12 Eco U. Missing structure. Introduction to semiology / Transl. from Italian V. G. Reznik and A. G. Pogonyailo. St. Petersburg: Symposium, 2004. pp. 154-180.
13 Stewart A. Faces of Power: Alexander's Image and Hellenistic Politics. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1993. P. 69.
14 TrofimovaA. A. The life of myth in ancient art: the fate of Achilles // Schliemann. Petersburg. Troy. Catalog of the exhibition in the State Hermitage, St. Petersburg, June 19 - October 18, 1998. St. Petersburg: JSC “Slavia”, 1998. pp. 187-189.
15 Stewart A. Op. cit. P. 78-86.
16 Hölscher T. Ideal und Wirklichkeit in den Bildnissen Alexanders des Großen. Heidelberg: Winter, 1971. S. 36-42.
17 See, for example: Kiilerich B. Physiognomics and the Iconography of Alexander // Symbolae Osloenses. 1988. Vol. 63. P. 51-66.
18 Vorster Chr. Die Bildnisse Alexanders des Grossen // Die Geschichte der antiken Bildhauerkunst: 2. Klassische Plastik / Hrsg. von P. C. Bol. Mainz am Rhein: Verlag Philipp von Zabern, 2004. S. 409-412.
The physiognomic type, meaning by this expression not only facial features, but also the impression caused by the general structure of the body and the nature of certain body movements from an astrological point of view, is determined by the following circumstances, which I present in order of their importance:
- staying in the 1st house of certain planets;
- the nature of the owner of the 1st house;
- the natures of the planets casting aspects on Ascendens;
- the nature of the Zodiac Sign that Ascendens falls on;
- the nature of the Master of the entire horoscope;
- other horoscopic data.
These influences are always (or almost always) mixed; to talk about them, they artificially imagine seven pure planetary types, theoretically corresponding to the influence only one planets per subject.
This is how Tradition characterizes these “Planetary Types”.
Saturn type
The characteristic features of this type are: tall growth; excellent skeletal development; pallor of the face, often taking on earthy tones; dryness and roughness of the skin; black thick hair, partly falling out in adulthood, without leaving, however, bald spots or bald patches. Saturnians usually bend their knees when walking; they move slowly, lowering their gaze to the ground. The heads are elongated, with sunken cheeks, long ears, thin pointed noses and a large mouth bordered by thin lips, from which the lower one protrudes noticeably. Saturnians' teeth are white and short-lived; gums are pale; the beard is black and sparse. The lower jaw is very massive and protrudes forward; The Adam's apple is very developed. The chest is covered with hair; high shoulders; the arms are narrow and bony. The leg tendons and veins are very noticeable.Saturnians are prone to fatigue from movement; they become decrepit early. Among the unpleasant accidents they experience are: falls with broken bones and all sorts of dislocations. Among the diseases they are characterized by: nervous diseases, paralysis, rheumatism, diseases of the legs, teeth, ears and hemorrhoids.
Saturnians are distinguished by distrust in everything; independence of judgment, with some, however, inclination towards superstition.
The following professions are suitable for them: mathematics, law, agriculture, mining.
They like black color in clothes; stingy; seek loneliness and are prone to melancholy.
Jupiter type
People of average height with fresh, pinkish skin, good complexion, moderately plump; have large cheerful eyes, wide arched eyebrows, brown hair, a straight nose of moderate size, a fairly large mouth, fleshy lips (the upper covers the lower), large teeth (the incisors especially protrude), full cheeks, an elongated chin with a dimple that fits tightly to the head ears, graceful neck and powerful nape.They are distinguished by a clear, ringing voice and a tendency to early baldness. Sweat easily (especially the forehead).
They show self-confidence, love for celebrations, formalities, noisy feasts and conversations. Great gastronomes and drink connoisseurs; hunters for official appearances; proud; love to patronize others; When working, they always count on reward in one form or another. They have a lively temperament; sometimes hot-tempered, sometimes vain, but, in general, they show good-heartedness; They value religious and family traditions, are always friendly and easily make and keep friends.
The most typical diseases of Jupiterians: a rush of blood to the brain and apoplexy.
Jupiterians make good administrators, convinced masters of ceremonies, good chairmen of large meetings.
Type of Mars
Martians are taller than average, have a strong build, a small wide head, a high forehead, round rosy cheeks with a dark complexion; red hair growing like a brush; large sparkling, often bloodshot eyes; sideburns darker than the hair on the head; a large mouth with thin lips and a wide lower jaw; small wide teeth of a yellowish tint; a strongly prominent chin, covered with a short and harsh beard; a beak-shaped crooked nose, small protruding ears and a very wide and prominent chest. Often have a red spot on the instep of the right leg.Their voice is commanding; cutting movements; walk with long steps; like to dress in red; are distinguished by their fearlessness; great lovers of all kinds of weapons and all kinds of noise and din; wasteful; willingly lead a tavern life; they love raw meat and strong drinks; easily offended; become very irritated; capable of becoming enraged and prone to violent actions.
Among the professions suitable for Martians are military service, theatrical and decorative arts, surgery, and fire fighting.
The diseases characteristic of them are: all kinds of inflammatory processes (mostly pneumonia; blood diseases; diseases of the cervical vessels).
Due to their natural inclinations, Martians are more susceptible than other types to the danger of wounds, concussions, etc.
A parody of the pure type of Mars we have in the figure of the traditional Polichinelle.
Sun type
People of the Sunny type have a beautiful appearance, average height, a yellowish-darkish complexion, a lush beard, long thin hair, most often blond with a golden tint; low but convex forehead; large, beautiful eyes with a moist shine, expressing either gentleness of character or extreme severity; fleshy cheeks, a thin straight nose, long arched eyebrows covering the eyes, a medium-sized mouth, moderate lips, off-white teeth, a round prominent chin, medium-sized ears and a long, muscular neck. They are broad-shouldered and distinguished by the grace of their somewhat elongated limbs, in particular their very graceful, thin feet. Their voice is very clear; There is nobility in the gait, often along with clumsiness.The sunny type greatly values the respect of their neighbors and is prone to hot temper, which, however, is easily moderated; Everyone seems very handsome, but does not know how to make reliable friends.
Solar type men are often deceived by their own wives and abandoned by their own children. They love walking, reading; religious, trusting, proud and prone to conceit, they dress in an original but elegant way, they love jewelry and decorations. Very inclined to engage in occultism.
By profession, they are most often inventors in the field of technology, good commentators and industrialists, and even more often artists.
Diseases of this type are characterized by: heart disease, eye diseases and heavy bleeding.
Venus type
People of this type are very similar to Jupiterians, differing from them in beauty and tenderness of build. They have whitish-pinkish transparent skin; small in stature; They are distinguished by a beautiful small plump face, full cheeks with a dimple on one of them and a beautiful, although small, round forehead. They have bushy eyebrows; wonderful hair of black or chestnut color, an elegant nose with a rounded tip and widened nostrils, large, cheerful dark-colored eyes, a thick pink mouth with swelling on the right half of the lower lip, well-colored gums and white, regular-shaped teeth. Their chin is round, fat, with a dimple; the ears are small and fleshy. The neck is mostly full and white. Venusians are stooped, narrow-chested; Venusians also, which does not prevent them from having some fleshiness of the breasts with their typical drooping, so gracefully prominent on the ancient statues of Venus. Small legs complete the ensemble of the type who loves bright colors in clothes, preliminaries in love, etc., which does not prevent them from sometimes being impeccable in behavior and even being naive.Venusians judge and invent best by first impression. They adore flowers and perfumes, are lovers of fine gastronomy, in music they give preference to melody over harmony, they hate quarrels and abuse, they are distinguished by their courtesy and friendliness; gullible to the extreme and compassionate and merciful to the extreme.
Among the diseases assigned to this type are venereal and female.
Mercury type
This type is characterized by short stature with a proportional build, something childish in appearance, an elongated, pretty pale, slightly yellowish face, which blushes easily, rich dark curly hair, soft skin, a high forehead, a short typical chin covered with sparse dark hair, narrow long fused eyebrows, sunken, restless but penetrating eyes, a long straight nose with a rounded tip, thin lips (the upper one is thicker than the lower one and protrudes forward), miniature teeth, a powerful neck, broad shoulders, a well-formed chest and a strong but flexible spine. The bones of the arms and legs are very thin, but gracefully formed. The voice is weak. They differ from nature in their liveliness, agility, dexterity and ingenuity.Mercurians are gentle in their manners; in trade they are inventive in all kinds of speculation; tend to be competitive. Cheerful disposition; They love jokes, they are distinguished by homebodies and love of children. By profession - speakers, professors, doctors, astrologers. Tend to practice magic. They skillfully engage in trade. They manage other people's affairs well, but do not deserve unlimited trust.
Women of this type are unattractive. They are distinguished by coquetry, precocity, cunning and a tendency to betrayal and deception.
Among the pathological phenomena this type is characterized by: liver and gallbladder diseases and some disorders of the nervous system.
Lunar type
This type is characterized by tall growth, a round head, too wide at the cheekbones, a white matte (rarely reddish) complexion, flabbiness of the muscular system and extreme scarcity of vegetation. People of the Lunar type have long hair, most often blond, short noses, have a small mouth, thick lips, long wide, somewhat irregularly shaped yellowish teeth, pale high gums, large round transparent convex, slightly watery eyes of greenish-bluish tones, inconspicuous but converging blond eyebrows, a wide fat chin, ears tightly fitting to the head, a rather long beautiful white neck, broad shoulders. Men's breasts are fleshy; Women's breasts are very underdeveloped. The lunar type is characterized by a swollen belly and thin legs with knobby knees.Representatives and representatives of this type are very fickle, easily susceptible to moods, frivolous, characterized by selfishness, coldness, laziness, a tendency towards melancholy, lack of love for family life and a thirst for travel, mainly sea travel. The picture is completed by their love of drugs, constant concern for their own health, love of a fantastic trend in art, commitment to reading romantic literature, easy inspiration; a tendency towards mysticism, the ability to clairvoyance, prophetic dreams; love for the use of animal magnetism and a constant search for the society of mature and experienced people.
The Moon type produces many poets, many occultists of junior degrees of Initiation, many travelers and adventurers. Among its representatives there are also high mystics.
Diseases of the Lunar type are: dropsy, disorders of the visual apparatus, up to blindness; disorders of the kidneys and bladder (of course, the whole class of gouty diseases) and all kinds of diseases of the uterus.
Of course, it is difficult to meet a person who fits exactly one of the described types. We almost always find a mixture of types, but with a predominance of certain planets, the nature of which we must take into account. When deciding questions about the subject’s abilities, his choice of profession, etc. The most interesting thing for an occultist is to know how the abilities for individual branches of esotericism and the inclination for one or another of its practical applications are distributed between types.
IN teachers Esotericism requires Saturn, Mercury and Venus. The presence of the Sun is desirable: sometimes Mars is appropriate.
For senior figures in Freemasonry Jupiter, Venus and Mars are important.
Magoo Saturn, Mercury and Mars are needed.
Theurge we need the Sun and Venus.
Kabbalist theorist, like an armchair astrologer, Saturn and Mercury are needed.
Clairvoyants, psychometers, fortune tellers and so on. always have a solid Moon.
For experiments with mediums, hysterics, sensitives, etc. It is most desirable to deal with patients of the pure Venus-Moon mixture type, and in the absence of such, with the pure Venus type. The latter are very susceptible to all kinds of suggestions.
In the Initiatory Chains, among the representatives of the lower degrees of Initiation, one always notices an abundance of young people with a predominant Lunar influence. At first, they obey the Teachers well, make good progress, but almost always subsequently fight off the Initiatory Chains due to the inherent susceptibility of the Lunar type to outside influences.
Regarding the pure or almost pure Solar type, I will say that Priestly occupations are very suitable for him without the complication of such by Teaching.
Pure Jupiter is very suitable for studying the history of Esotericism.