Collection: Messerschmidt | Facial Expressions

Franz Xaver Messerschmidt (1736-1783) left behind 55 character heads: 17 in alabaster, 36 in metal (usually a tin-copper alloy), one in wood, and one in limestone. He never named them himself and just referred to them as heads. The name they are now known by, and the indications of the moods and characters they portray, originated in an anonymous publication that appeared some ten years after his death. The statue heads illustrate expressions such as The Yawner Man, The Vexed Man, and The Strong Man, and demonstrate Messerschmidt's profound talent at capturing a human gesture. These museum reproductions are part of the Parastone Mouseion 3D Collection.