316 PHYSICAL EXPRESSION. 



but the muscles of the face or hand are not there 

 engaged in expressing the mental state. 



In art at the present day we but seldom see the 

 hands represented as disengaged ; usually they are 

 painted or sculptured holding some object, or resting 

 on some part of the figure ; such are hands engaged 

 or resting from labour, or performing some act of 

 toil, not engaged in expressing the action of the 

 mind.* 



As to the average figure-compositions produced 

 in the present time. When expression is desired, is 

 care always taken to give to the figure its due form, 

 proportions, and signs of development ; and then so 

 to compose the postures, and results of movements 

 or other indications of movements, as to express 

 something of the brain condition and mind of the 

 living subject ? 



A thoroughly educated and able artist so draws 

 his figure as to show thereby what kind of man 

 he represents, and by his nerve-muscular signs 

 shows us the mood of the man at the time of 

 representation on the canvas. It is the postures 

 and results of movement that directly represent the 

 state of mind at the time. 



Do most of our annual figure-pictures represent 

 brain action ? In order to give the highest effect 

 to the representation of mobile expression, some 

 parts of the figure should be left free and disengaged, 

 especially hands and face. How common it is to 



* Examples of the disengaged hand are seen in the statues of 

 Cain in the Pitti, Florence ; the Venus de' Medici ; and the Diana, 

 British Museum. 



