[ Photographically Illustrated Books ] Electro-Physiognomy. A Condensed Resume from the Work of M. Duchenne (de Boulogne). IN Journal of Psychological Medicine and Diseases of the Nervous System
[ New York ]: [ D. Appleton & Company ] 1870. 224 pages + 3 leaves plates + [8], [225]-448 pages. 8vo. Red cloth binding with simple spine labeling "Psychological Medicine 4". Ex-library Library of Congress, properly withdrawn with surplus stamp on front flyleaf. Contains the first 2 (of 4) issues of the Journal of Psychological Medicine and Diseases of the Nervous System, Volume IV (January and April). Discrete LC perforated stamp on first page of the first issue. Otherwise unmarked internally. Very Good. Cloth. [23639]
The Journal of Psychological Medicine and Diseases of the Nervous System is an interesting publication. This volume is particularly interesting because of a review illustrated with albumen photographs. Duchenne in 1862 wrote "Mecanisme de la physionomie humaine, ou analyse electro-physiologique de l'expression des passions applicable a la pratique des arts plastiques." where he "studied the mechanism of facial expression during emotion; his atlas of photographs is a most important contribution to medical photography. Darwin reproduced a number of his photographs in The Expression of the Emotions." (Garrison/Morton 5/4973). Duchenne's work, which documented the electrical stimulation of facial muscles and recorded the results as "emotions", "marks the beginning of photography applied to anatomy and neurology" and is an important book both in medicine and in photographically illustrated books. The Truthful Lens #49. The Photobook: A History Volume I: p50.
What we offer here is a substantial English language review of Duchenne's work. The review, by M.L. Edgeworth, is found on pages 76-87 of the January issue. The review not only gives a detailed discussion of Duchenne's work, but it also reproduces images from Duchenne's work in slightly different form. 3 plates, all albumen photographs, are offered to help explain Duchenne's book - the first a full page image, and the following 2 plates each with 24 small images showing the various electrical stimulations to the face and it's results "emotionally". The last 2 plates are really mashups of the plates in Duchenne's original work. Edgeworth limits his explanations to lengthy quotes and his own interpretations of the process by which the "artist" Duchenne elicits various emotional results captured in these early images, leaving the perhaps more philosophical/ethical commentary to others. Some of his detailed review references the included images while some strangely refer to other plates from Duchenne not reproduced here (perhaps reproduction costs or rights became an issue especially since this article carried nearly 1/3 of the plates in the original publication). A great example of the application of photography used to book reviews, something not often done in this period.
Other interesting articles in the 2 issues include one on the "Physical Action of Magnetism [on the human body]" by John Vansant and "The Psychological Action of Opium" by Alonzo Calkins.
ITEM SOLD