B. Scott Crawford Lecture Series
2025-03-20 17:30 - 18:30 UTC | Alexander Black House, 204 Draper Rd SW, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, United States
Presentation #2
“A Wise man will Find us to be Rogues by our Face”: Physiognomy and Portraiture
Johnathan Swift’s observation about the relationship between character and physical features sums up an important comment of Western art. From the Ancient World into the 21st century, to varying degrees, the belief that physical features indicate clear and even irrefutable clues as to a person’s character influenced portraiture. Exploring Ancient statues and a host of Medieval and Renaissance paintings, as well as Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, the impact this pseudo-science, physiognomy, had on art and portraiture will be highlighted. Taking this overview as a starting point, Santi di Tito’s late 17th century portrait of Machiavelli will be examined through this physiognomic lens in order to better understand di Tito’s posthumous representation of the controversial philosopher and gain insight into Machiavelli’s work The Prince. This original research will provide both an understanding of physiognomy and a new understanding of at least one reason Machiavelli has been viewed as scandalous.

B. Scott Crawford holds a master’s degree in history from Old Dominion University and has an extensive background in education, having taught at the high school and college levels, as well as serving as the social studies coordinator, K-12, for a Virginia school division and as the Director of Education for the Museum of Western Virginia and then Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke, Virginia. Scott currently serves as President & CEO for Virginia 811. He has been with the Notification Center since December 2016, serving as Director of Operations and then Vice President prior to moving into his current position in July 2020.

This event is free and part of our 2025 Lecture Series which will focus on Blacksburg history, community, and culture plus intriguing history and arts topics in general.
