LA PHYSIOGNOMONIE OU L'ART DE CONNAITRE LES HOMMES D'APRES LES TRAITS DE LEUR PHYSIONOMIE LEURS RAPPORTS AVEC LES DIVERS LES ANIMAUX, LEURS PENCHANTS, ETC. [PHYSIOGNOMY OR THE ART OF KNOWING HUMAN ACCORDING TO THE TRAITS OF THEIR PHYSIOGNOMY, THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH VARIOUS ANIMALS, THEIR PENCHANTS, ETC.]
Book Details + Condition: Publie Par Gustave Havard (Paris). Early Edition, 1830 (nd). Hardcover with pebbled dark green boards; raised bands and gilt to spine; and gilt to all edges. 321 pages, followed by 120 full-page plates. Illustrated with 750 engravings throughout the book. Written in the original French. "Johann Kaspar Lavater was a Swiss poet, writer, philosopher, physiognomist and theologian. He introduced the idea that physiognomy related to the specific character traits of individuals, rather than general types. Lavater is attributed with catalyzing a golden age for silhouettes through this work in physiognomy. According to him, the character of a person could be elucidated through examining their lines of countenance. The most accurate of readings were facilitated by the tracing of a profile outline portrait. This contour line could be filled with black or cut from the white paper and placed over a black backing. More often, the silhouette was simply cut from black paper." [Wikipedia] Firm binding; rubbed corners and edges; minor rubbing to spine; name to inside front board; foxing and age-toning to first and last few pages (quite heavy); intermittent foxing and age-toning throughout interior.
