Studie van een menselijke kop op verschillende leeftijden 1785

Reinier Vinkeles made this drawing of a head at different ages in the Netherlands in the late 1700s. This was a time of burgeoning scientific classification, and this study of heads participates in the spirit of that project. If you look closely, you'll notice the rigid grid applied across all four heads. They are divided up according to a system of measurement, an effort to define and quantify the human form. The third head seems to be intended to represent a person of African descent, and the visual language here evokes the racist pseudoscience of physiognomy. This was the idea that one could read character traits from physical features. To understand this image, it's helpful to know that the late 18th century was a time of both Enlightenment ideals and entrenched social hierarchies. Art like this reflects the way scientific thinking could be used to reinforce existing prejudices. Historians consult period texts and scientific publications to understand the relationship between art and social power.