L E G M O U N T A I N

The first computer generated imagery. From 1952 onwards  B F Laposky. Oscillons 1952-56

Phrenology originated with Franz Joseph Gall (1758-1828), a German physician, assisted by his colleague, Johann Kaspar Spurzheim (1809-72). Phrenologists believed that the shape and size of various areas of the brain (and therefore the overlying skull) determined personality. Gall and Spurzheim eventually disagreed and went on to promote rival systems of phrenology. These heads are numbered according to Spurzheim’s classification. The heads may have been used to teach phrenology but were probably made as a general reference collection. A wide range of different heads are present. For instance, head number 54 is that of a scientific man; head number 8 is recorded as the head of an ‘idiot’. The heads were made by William Bally, who studied under Spurzheim from 1828 onwards.

Infact there are still people who believe this to be an accurate and scientifically accurate method of identifying certain ‘types’ of person. The best thing to have come from Phrenology seem to have been these small carved heads which can be found in the science museums collection. Their object number is A642804 which can be searched for along with the rest of their collection HERE.