The historical evolution of the anatomical study and depiction of the human face

The analysis of the anatomy of the human face and the representation of its structure have played a significant role in the history of both science and art. This article is intended to transfer the reader back into time. In this way the methodological approach to the study and reproduction of the facial image predominant in every historical era can be ascertained. The style of the technique which concerns the depiction of the human face was studied in the most important artistic trends from the prehistoric era up until the contemporary years. The prevalent scientific perceptions and the techniques of study related to the facial structure, are examined. The study of the human facial anatomy was at first an artistic matter. Later, it was passed to the hands of the anthropologists, while in the more modern times it is the concern of the professionals of cosmetic medicine. The various ideas which dominated in every historical period regarding beauty and the importance of the face in general, influence directly the perception of its ideal anatomy.