Le Bruns original lecture is lost but his sketches have survived.
There are over 250 such drawings at the Louvre museum today.
Le Brun’s physiognomic drawings were published in 1806 making them accessible to the general public.
It sparked a particular interest in facial and racial characteristics, and the connections between humans and animals.
Lavaters theory was that physiognomy related to the specific character traits of individuals, rather than general types.
His work found admirers in France and England as well as Germany.
The popularity of physiognomy continued to grow throughout the 19th century, and it was discussed seriously by academics.
However, by the late 19th century, physiognomy had fallen out of favor.
Although physiognomy is generally dismissed as pseudoscience today, occasional physiognomic studies still happen in modern times.
