Painted plaster head representing French criminal Norbert after execution, France, 1831-1900

Made:
1831-1900 in France
Painted plaster head and stand Painted plaster head and stand

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

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

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

License

Painted plaster head and stand
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Painted plaster head and stand
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Painted plaster head and stand, representing French criminal Norbert after execution, collected by Dr. Gachet, probably for phrenological use, French, 1831-1900.

During the 1800s, plaster heads of executed criminals were used for an emerging field of study called phrenology. Phrenologists believed the shape and size of areas of the brain (and therefore the overlying skull) determined personality. This meant criminals such as Norbert made interesting subjects. Heads like this were part of larger phrenological reference sets which included famous people and ethnographic examples. This example belonged to Dr. Paul-Ferdinand Gachet (1777-1850). He is best known for treating painter Vincent van Gogh in the last weeks of his life. Gachet was the subject of one of van Gogh’s most famous paintings.

Details

Category:
Psychology, Psychiatry & Anthropometry
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A158243
Materials:
plaster
Measurements:
overall: 280 mm x 180 mm x 220 mm, 3.54 kg
type:
phrenological head and death mask
credit:
Gachet, Dr.