这本设计精美、引人入胜的主题专著研究了世界各地各个历史时期的物品和艺术作品上的人脸所代表的含义。

人脸不仅是身份的核心，也是人类表情、情感和个性的主要载体。 它代表着智力和力量，通常被视为进入灵魂的窗口，是人们见面时关注的焦点。不同的文化是如何描绘人脸的——无论是相似还是理想化；无论是戴着面具还是露出全脸；无论是新生儿，年富力强，快要死去，还是已经死去？为何人脸的描绘对世界所有文化中的艺术表达如此重要？

艺术史学家Debra Mancoff通过大英博物馆藏品中各种物品和艺术品探索了人脸的描绘，并且发现了人脸是如何微妙地跨越大陆和几个世纪传达人类全方位情感的。本书按照主题划分各章（出生与童年;爱与美;信仰、仪式与神话;统治者与战争;身份与伪装;日常生活;死亡与来世），每一章的开头都是一段简单的介绍，接着用各种各样的配对和分组描绘人脸，对我们作为人类的共同经历发表了深刻见解。

350张彩色插图。

The face is not only central to identity, but is also the primary vehicle for human expression, emotion and character. It also signifies intellect and power, and has often been regarded as a window into the soul. Above all, it is the focus of our attention whenever we encounter another individual. But how have different cultures depicted faces, whether a likeness or idealized, whether masked or revealed, whether newborn, in the prime of life, dying or even deceased? Why has the depiction of the human face been so central to artistic expression in all world cultures, and why has it sometimes even been defaced or destroyed by iconoclasts and others?

Debra N. Mancoff explores the depiction of the human face through the full range of objects and works of art in the collection of the British Museum, and discovers how the face subtly conveys the full spectrum of human emotion. Arranged thematically, the book’s chapters each begin with a brief introduction before depicting faces in various visually led pairings and groupings that encourage the reader to look for associations regardless of the objects’ cultural origins. Some of the juxtapositions are allowed to speak for themselves; others are explored through brief narrative captions. Some of the juxtapositions raise a smile; others are surprisingly affecting. This book will both fascinate and delight the reader, offering insights into experiences that we all share as human beings and that our faces inevitably reveal.

Table of Contents

Introduction • 1. Birth & Childhood • 2. Love & Beauty • 3. Everyday Life • 4. Faith & Ritual • 5. Rulers & Warfare • 6. Identity & Disguise • 7. Death & the Afterlife