Sketch for ‘Treatise on Zodiacal Physiognomy’ 1828

Editor: Here we have John Varley's "Sketch for 'Treatise on Zodiacal Physiognomy.'" The faces, rendered in delicate lines, seem to float on the page. What do you see in this work? Curator: These faces, though mere sketches, echo a long tradition of associating physical features with character. Varley’s interest in zodiacal physiognomy places him within a historical context where the body was seen as a map of the soul. Each line, each angle, becomes a symbol. Editor: So, reading faces as a language of inner states? Curator: Precisely. He's tapping into something primal – the human urge to find meaning in appearances, linking our earthly forms to cosmic forces. It reflects a cultural memory, doesn't it? Editor: I'll definitely think about that next time I look at a portrait.