Engraving of a bearded man in a feathered hat grabbing a startled gentleman by the collar on a rocky road; the gentleman's top hat lies on the ground.

Phrenology: destructiveness, an Italian brigand attacking a gentleman

A bearded man in a wide-brimmed hat with a feather seizes a startled gentleman in a long coat and cravat by the collar on a rocky road, while the gentleman's top hat lies fallen at his feet. Shown in an engraving with a caption reading Destructivite, this 1847 print illustrates the phrenological propensity of destructiveness through gesture and posture.

Artist: Bruyères, Hippolyte.
Date: [1847]
Medium: Steel engravings
Source: Wellcome Collection
Size: 2828 × 4000 px

Download full size

Public domain · Wellcome Collection marks it Public Domain Mark; made by 1847.
Rights checked 2026-11-05 · tier A · as stated by the source: Public Domain Mark (Wellcome Collection)

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): Wellcome Collection

19th century 1840s engraving print steel engraving physiognomy phrenology rocky landscape character study gentleman monochrome