Franz Xaver Messerschmidt (1736 – 1783) was a German-Austrian sculptor known for his "character heads" – busts with extreme facial expressions.
He started out as an academically trained sculptor doing normal portrait commissions.
But then the work dried up, he lost his teaching position, and he suffered a mental malady that they called "confusion in the head."
He also suffered a stressful abdominal problem. When he pinched a rib to distract himself from the pain, he noticed that he winced in interesting ways.
He developed an interest in necromancy and the arcane, which further inspired his character heads.
Wikipedia on Franz Xaver Messerschmidt
Thanks, Frank!
Wow. I'd say Messerschmidt was an under-appreciated genius, far ahead of the time when photography would be capturing these fleeting moments.
ReplyDeleteThanks James. This is yet another gem I'd never have known, if it wasn't for this blog!
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ReplyDeleteMesserschmidt's sculpture looks like a face casting, it's so amazingly realistic. I feel sorry for his model, however. Apparently this was the artist?
ReplyDeleteI have fond memories of Jack Lalanne. My mother did his exercises in the 50s and stayed trim.
The facial exercises he demonstrates on the video you posted are pretty close to some yoga moves. I love Lalanne's energetic exhortation to combat facial flesh that "looks all hangy and saggy".
haha,,,funy xpressions!!!
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