Phrenological head, microcephalic

Plaster cast phrenological bust, a copy of the head of Victoire Plaster cast phrenological bust, a copy of the head of Victoire Plaster cast phrenological bust, a copy of the head of Victoire Plaster cast phrenological bust, a copy of the head of Victoire Plaster cast phrenological bust, a copy of the head of Victoire Plaster cast phrenological bust, a copy of the head of Victoire

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-SA 4.0 Licence

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

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Plaster cast phrenological bust, a copy of the head of Victoire
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London.

Plaster cast phrenological bust, a copy of the head of Victoire
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London.

Plaster cast phrenological bust, a copy of the head of Victoire
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London.

Plaster cast phrenological bust, a copy of the head of Victoire
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London.

Plaster cast phrenological bust, a copy of the head of Victoire
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London.

Plaster cast phrenological bust, a copy of the head of Victoire
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Plaster cast phrenological bust, a copy of the head of Victoire, a 24 year old microcephalic, possibly French

Phrenologists believed the shape and size of various areas of the brain (and therefore the overlying skull) determined personality. This is a plaster copy of a cast from the head of a 24 year-old woman called Victoire. She experienced microcephaly. Microcephaly is a disease in which the brain does not develop normally and her head circumference is therefore reduced. Phrenological heads such as this were used for demonstrations by phrenological lecturers. They were also used for training phrenologists. Phrenology was popular in the 1800s. However, it became controversial within medical circles, and was eventually dismissed by the medical profession as unfounded. Phrenology was still studied in the UK until 1967, when the British Phrenological Society finally closed.

Details

Category:
Psychology, Psychiatry & Anthropometry
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A137205
Materials:
plaster
Measurements:
overall: 265 mm x 190 mm x 220 mm, 2.37kg
type:
phrenological head
credit:
Wellcome Trust (Purchased from Stevens)