About this artwork
George Combe worked briefly as a lawyer and a brewer before devoting his career to the promotion of phrenology; a pseudo-science which explored the relation between the shape of someone’s skull and their personality, intelligence and economic prospects. Although even at the time many people doubted the ‘scientific’ evidence for such assumptions, Combe believed that phrenology was ‘the greatest and most important discovery ever communicated to mankind’. He published widely on the subject, and his book ‘The Constitution of Man’ became something of a bestseller. In 1833 he married Cecilia Siddons, but only after subjecting both himself and his future bride to a phrenological examination in order to find out if the match was a suitable one.
Updated before 2020
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artists:
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title:George Combe, 1788 - 1858. Phrenologist
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date created:About 1843
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materials:Carbon print
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measurements:20.50 x 15.40 cm
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object type:
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credit line:Elliot Collection, bequeathed 1950
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accession number:PGP HA 626
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gallery:
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depicted:
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subject:
Robert Adamson
Robert Adamson
Robert Adamson was one of the first professional photographers, setting up in business in Edinburgh in March 1843. He had aspired to be an engineer but his health was too poor. His brother, John, who was involved in the early experiments with photography in St Andrews, taught him the calotype...