Genius van de fysionomie 1774

"Genius van de fysionomie," a 1774 etching by Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki, depicts a scene of physiognomy, a pseudoscience that sought to determine a person's character based on their facial features. In the etching, a young man, possibly symbolizing genius, lies with an angel's wings. A woman with a book and a man studying a chart of different faces, likely a physiognomical guide, surround him. The artist's detailed etching style, typical of his work, captures the nuanced expressions and details of the figures in the scene.