Physiognomy

Physiognomy is the claim to know a person’s character from their facial features and body shape. Practiced since antiquity, it enjoyed great success in the 18th century with the Swiss pastor Johann Kaspar Lavater. It later lent credibility to racist and criminological theories that are now discredited, which calls for the utmost caution. It is presented here for its historical role: judging someone by their appearance is neither reliable nor harmless.