The Face Hardcover by Debra Mancoff

Product Details

• Publisher: Thames and Hudson (2018-10-09)
• Language: English
• Paperback: 320 pages
• ISBN-13: 9780500518625
• Item Weight: 895.86 grams
• Dimensions: 7.7 x 6.9 x 1.0 cm

An exquisitely designed and engrossing thematic study of the representation of the face on objects and in works of art from across the globe and throughout history

The face is not only central to identity, but is also the primary vehicle for human expression, emotion, and character. It signifies intellect and power, is often regarded as a window into the soul, and is the focus of attention when individuals meet. How have different cultures depicted faces—whether a likeness or idealized; whether masked or revealed; whether newborn, in the prime of life, dying, or even deceased? Why has the depiction of the human face been so central to artistic expression in all world cultures?

Art historian Debra Mancoff explores the depiction of the human face through the full range of objects and works of art in the collection of the British Museum, and she discovers how the face subtly conveys the full spectrum of human emotion across continents and through the centuries. Arranged thematically (Birth and Childhood; Love and Beauty; Faith, Ritual, and Mythology; Rulers and Warfare; Identity and Disguise; Everyday Life; Death and the Afterlife), each of the book’s chapters begins with a brief introduction before depicting faces in various pairings and groupings, offering insights into experiences that we all share as human beings.

About the Author

Debra N. Manco has written extensively on the Pre-Raphaelites, including The Pre-Raphaelite Language of Flowers, Jane Morris: The Pre-Raphaelite Model of Beauty, and Burne- Jones. Her articles on Rossetti and other members of the Pre-Raphaelite circle have appeared in many scholarly journals and exhibition catalogues. Based in Chicago, Manco is Scholar in Residence at the Newbury Library.