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Guillaume-Benjamin-Amand Duchenne (de Boulogne)

Figure 32: Natural laughter by the voluntary contraction of the two large zygomatics and the lower palpebral orbicularis

c. 1856, printed 1862
Albumen print from glass plate negative

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In the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland · as of July 2026

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FROM THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART’S CATALOG

Duchenne embarked on the first scientific, systematic exploration of the physiology of human facial expression and hoped, through photographs of the experiments, to teach artists how to portray those emotions. Here, he has photographed a subject’s natural smile and described the muscles creating it. In subsequent photographs, he used an electrode to contract one of the muscles that convey that same emotion.

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Figure 52: Voluntary retraction of the lower lipGuillaume-Benjamin-Amand Duchenne de Boulogne|Adrien TournacFigure 12: A study of the contraction of and the expression produced by the superior part of m. orbicularis oculi Guillaume-Benjamin-Amand Duchenne de Boulogne|Adrien TournacFigure 3: The face of an old man... photographed in repose.Guillaume-Benjamin-Amand Duchenne de Boulogne|Adrien TournacFigure 21: Painful recollection and recollection or calling something to mind Guillaume-Benjamin-Amand Duchenne de Boulogne|Adrien TournacFigure 48: Mild weeping, pity and feeble false laughter Guillaume-Benjamin-Amand Duchenne de Boulogne|Adrien TournacFigure 39: The attention attracted by an object that provokes lascivious ideas and desires. Guillaume-Benjamin-Amand Duchenne de Boulogne|Adrien TournacFigure 6: The grimice produced is similar to a tic of the face Guillaume-Benjamin-Amand Duchenne de Boulogne|Adrien TournacFigure 56: SurpriseGuillaume-Benjamin-Amand Duchenne de Boulogne|Adrien TournacFigure 17: On the right, electrization of m. procerus: severity, aggression. On the left: attention. Guillaume-Benjamin-Amand Duchenne de Boulogne|Adrien TournacFigure 18: Aggression, wickednessGuillaume-Benjamin-Amand Duchenne de Boulogne|Adrien TournacFigure 54: Voluntary lowering of the lower jawGuillaume-Benjamin-Amand Duchenne de Boulogne|Adrien TournacFigure 19: SufferingGuillaume-Benjamin-Amand Duchenne de Boulogne|Adrien Tournac