Shades is a collection of portraits inspired by the now defunct science of Physiognomy. The images are displayed topographically for comparison.
During the 18th Century Johann Caspar Lavater developed the science of Physiognomy; the study of facial features. It was believed a person’s health and character could be measured by reading the face in this way. Lavater would use the light of a candle to cast the shadow of his subject before drawing their profile. He called these shadows, Shades. He would use Shades to measure features and make observations about the subject.
Lavater remarked that only a Shade was a true portrait of a person because it showed a clear outline of the space that they occupied in the world, a clear line of what they looked like without the distractions of the markings on their face.
Shades is a body of fifteen 20x20 inch digital C-Type prints.
During the 18th Century Johann Caspar Lavater developed the science of Physiognomy; the study of facial features. It was believed a person’s health and character could be measured by reading the face in this way. Lavater would use the light of a candle to cast the shadow of his subject before drawing their profile. He called these shadows, Shades. He would use Shades to measure features and make observations about the subject.
Lavater remarked that only a Shade was a true portrait of a person because it showed a clear outline of the space that they occupied in the world, a clear line of what they looked like without the distractions of the markings on their face.
Shades is a body of fifteen 20x20 inch digital C-Type prints.
All text and images on this site are © Viki Simpson
