140 PHYSICAL EXPRESSION. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



POSTURES CONSIDERED AS MEANS OF EXPRESSION. 



Definition of a posture Simplicity of study Historical records of 

 postures Postures of all parts A change of posture is move- 

 ment A posture is due to resultant action of muscles 

 and their nerve-centres It is a direct mode of expression 

 Free or disengaged parts most expressive A limb labouring is 

 not susceptible to mental expression Organic postures, as 

 from difficult breathing Postures due to gravity Effect of 

 gravity on plants Gravity acts differently during sleep It 

 can affect the postures of the face Postures due to reflex 

 action Spontaneous postures Fallacies Classification and 

 analysis of postures Coincident postures Symmetry Pos- 

 tures in art Postures in animals Postures in plants 

 Summary. 



THE term "posture" indicates the relative position of 

 the several members of the body with regard to one 

 another and the body in general, or the relative 

 position of the individual parts of a member. The 

 study of postures as means of expression is, in 

 some respects, simpler than the study of move- 

 ments, as means of expression; for a posture is a 

 condition of quiescence, and, as such, is more easily 

 observed, described, and analyzed. Further postures 

 can be represented by verbal description, by casts, 

 photographs, or drawings; they have been repre- 

 sented in works of art from ancient times, in 



