NN - Physiögnomische catechismus - 1780

Anonymous
Physiognomical Catechism. Containing the foundations and principles of physiognomy. Suitable for enabling a person to discover himself, to also discover the nature and character of his fellow man, and to train him in the practice and formation of the human heart
Amsterdam: Gerrit Bom en Zoonen, 1780
xxvi+(6)+359 pp; allegorical title vignette (designer Jan Ekels, engraver Christian Friedrich Fritzsch), 9 copper plates (Luyken/Goeree) outside the text.
Original blue paper publisher's binding (22x13 cm; worn & spine damaged, binding loose), small rust stains, slight discoloration but overall fairly clean inside

The anonymous author claims to have written a better book than all its predecessors (which were too limited or mistaken), and his text is conceived as a ‘scientific catechism’ in the form of a dialogue with questions and answers.

F physiognomy or 'face-reading' was a so-called scientific method by which, on the basis of the shape and features of the face, one could say something about the character of the respective person. It became very popular through Lavater’s work at the end of the 18th century;
P. van Eeghen, ‘The Work of Jan and Casper Luyken’ (Amsterdam, 1905; p 766) notes that here a few prints by Luyken were taken from Willem Goeree, ‘Natuurlyk en schilderkonstig ontwerp der menschkunde’ (1682).