Giambattista della Porta - Physiognomy

Giambattista della Porta was an Italian Scholar in the 16th and 17th century who wrote a book titled De Humana Physiognomonia. One of his contributions was a study of physiognomy which was the basis for later theories. Among the people he influenced was Johann Caspar Lavater.

Wikipedia Article.

Google Books result.

More images at the National Insitute of Health - Historical Anatomies on the Web.

More on the subject at Strange Science.

You can see more about them on Ebay.

The Pocket Lavater, Or, The Science Of Physiognomy: To Which Is Added An Inquiry Into The Analogy Existing Between Brute And Human Physiognomy, From The Italian Of Porta

Reading the Face: Understanding a Person's Character Through Physiognomy: A Spiritual-Scientific Study Physiognomy, the art of reading faces