
The Body as a Mirror of the Soul
Physiognomy from Antiquity to the Renaissance
Edited by Lisa Devriese
Physiognomy, the history of racial classifications,
and the interplay between natural philosophy, medicine, and ethics
The idea of the body as
a mirror of the soul has fascinated mankind throughout history. Being able to
see through an individual, and drawing conclusions on their character solely
based on a selection of external features, is the subject of physiognomy, and
has a long tradition running well into recent times. However, the pre-modern,
especially medieval background of this discipline has remained underexplored.
The selected case studies in this volume each contribute to a better
understanding of the history of physiognomy from antiquity to the Renaissance,
and offer discussions on unedited treatises and on the application, development,
and reception of this field of knowledge, as well as on visual sources inspired
by physiognomic theory.
Contributors: Enikő Békés
(Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Joël Biard (University of Tours), Lisa
Devriese (KU Leuven), Maria Fernanda Ferrini (University of Macerata),
Christophe Grellard (École Pratique des Hautes Études), Luís Campos Ribeiro
(University of Lisbon), Maria Michela Sassi (University of Pisa), Oleg
Voskoboynikov (Higher School of Economics Moscow), Steven J. Williams (New
Mexico Highlands University), Joseph Ziegler (University of Haifa), Gabriella
Zuccolin (University of Pavia)
This publication is GPRC-labeled (Guaranteed Peer-Reviewed Content).
Lisa Devriese
Maria Michela Sassi
Maria Fernanda Ferrini
Enikő Békés
Steven J. Williams
Lisa Devriese
Oleg Voskoboynikov
Joël Biard and Christophe Grellard
Gabriella Zuccolin
Joseph Ziegler and Luís Campos Ribeiro
Format: Edited volume - paperback
Size: 234 × 156 × 12 mm
232 pages
Illustrated b/w
ISBN: 9789462702929
Publication: October 05, 2021
Series: Mediaevalia Lovaniensia - Series 1-Studia 50
Languages: English
Stock item number: 144217