A Brief History Of The Smile

by Angus Trumble

It has been said that supreme enlightenment is reflected in the holy smile of the Buddha. Yet, the Victorians thought of open-mouthed smiling as obscene, and nineteenth-century English and American slang equated "smiling" with drinking whisky. Every smile is the product of physical processes common to all humans. But since the dawn of civilization, the upward movement of the muscles of the face has carried a bewildering range of meanings. In A Brief History of the Smile, Angus Trumble deftly weaves art, poetry, history and biology into an intriguing portrait of the many nuances of the human smile. Elegantly illustrating his points with emblematic works of art, from 18th and 19th century European paintings to Japanese woodblock prints, Trumble explores the meanings of smiling in a variety of cultures and contexts. But he also asks key questions about the behavioral and psychological aspects of smiling: When and how in infancy does human smiling become a profound act of communication? Is smiling unique to human beings? How does smiling function to foster our attachments to each other? Effortlessly mingling erudition, wit, and personal anecdote, Trumble weaves a seamless interdisciplinary tapestry.An established talent in the art worlds of Europe, Europe and Australia, Trumble challenges our most deeply held assumptions about smiling. In his analysis of Jusepe de Ribera's Girl Playing a Tambourine, Trumble explores the sinister side of the smile-the leer, the snarl, the lewd grin. And from J.A. Ingres' portrait of the Princesse de Broglie, he extracts the implications of "public" smiling, the tension between decorum and beauty. Trumble brings his expertise as a writer, historian and thinker to bear on the art of smiling in this charming and distinctive work.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Sociology, Science, Reference

272 pages, Hardcover

First published January 7, 2004

Reviews

[William Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this book became bogged down by the history of the smile in art, and at times made silly outdated references (Ozzy and Tipper) and then also at times sounded too scholarly, it was original and about an important subject that we take for granted. We take for granted until we get Bell's Palsy! This book jumps a whole star for creativity. Some interesting historical and art narratives.

[Yrinsyde · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Review

[Peter Lundahl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do I have a good smile? What even is a good smile? Did people smile differently 1000 years ago? 3000 years ago? Who knew there could be just as much variation over time in facial expressions as there is in verbal expressions.

[Paige · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you're on the fence about this one, I'd skip it. Nothing earth-shattering here. For me, there was a little too much emphasis on art history. Art is great and art history is interesting, but I was under the impression I'd be reading a book about the history of the SMILE, not some tunnel-vision description of paintings. This guy is really focused on Western European art, and to a few very specific countries at that. Ancient Greece is cool, but it's not the only place that existed--in fact (and I'm not sure where I got this idea from...) I thought that most people who were alive in 500BC where living somewhere besides Greece. The author also says "people" when he really means MEN or really means WOMEN. Especially when you're talking in a historical context, the distinction matters: strict gender roles and codes defined completely different modes of being and different lives for men & women. It would've been more clear if he had more closely stated the facts of it...

There is some very intriguing information in this book, but I feel like he moves on from it all too quickly. While a couple pages are given to smiling in babies, I think you could make an entire book about the subject. He only barely touches on the surface of the primate origins of smiling, and the relation of smiling to laughing. Likewise, he gives one or two sentences over to the use of the smile in totalitarian propaganda. Um, hello, author, that's very interesting and topical information and I would really like to read more of a critique on that phenomenon. Wasted opportunity...

[Corey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a bit of a surprise. While I began with few assumptions about the book, after reading the introduction, I think I expected something a little bit more along the art historical line. Despite the very art historical introduction, the book ended up delving into all kinds of random areas of interest. While the book is definitely a valuable source of random knowledge vaguely pertaining to smiling, there were times when I got the feeling the author wasn't quite the expert he was portraying himself to be. (Admittedly, this might just be my skepticism towards any Western authors writing about Japan after taking a very cynical Japanese history class, but still.) In any event, it was a good quick read with interesting chapters on etymology, biology and, yes, art. For a book on smiles, though, it didn't produce as many as one could hope.

[Paul Cowdell · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a poor book, randomly and inexpertly assembled. Trumble's an art historian and curator, and the best parts here are where he's using his actual expertise, although this is descriptive not analytical. The trouble is, he's then taken this as justification to roam way beyond his own discipline - and, indeed, his capacities - in a speculative and ill-considered way. The small book couldn't hope to be comprehensive, but it's simply a small parade of the secondary literature Trumble managed to get through. (I'd imagine he was quite an engaging after dinner speaker, but that's not the basis for a book). The material's so flimsily strung together that it cannot disguise the fact that it is a scrapbook masquerading as an argument. And when he does venture broader opinion, there's no actual basis for his conclusions, which sound like half an idea he spontaneously had over a glass of wine one night. (That much of the book isn't really about 'the smile' reflects the lack of thought that's gone into it).

He gets two stars rather than one because, inevitably, some of the stuff randomly assembled is fun. (Although - another indication of his general sloppiness - the endnote references sometimes just vanish completely, so good luck finding where it came from).

If you want one passage that reveals all of the tedious shortcomings, you could do worse than this:
'Bon Scott, lead singer of ACDC [sic], was noted for the particular lewdness of his stage smile, to which crowds responded with brio. Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols was also particularly gifted in this respect, as was Divine. All died too soon...'

[Allison Roy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just finished this, which I read in between a few books so I took it rather piecemeal, by chapter. I did like how the book was broken up (check out the pic by chapter breakdown) ⁣
⁣
I’ve always fascinated with learning a bit more in detail about the things often right in front of our faces that we almost never think about. Not gonna lie this took a bit for me to get into but I always finish a book a pick up. ⁣
⁣
Well shit, this touched base on cultural/artistic/physiology etc etc coupled with types of smiles (again see chapter breakdown) and their connotations. I found the book and topic fascinating but weirdly kept wishing it was written by Bill Bryson. Bill wrote a book on the home and every goddamn inch of explaining the home (structures and things within) but somehow made it a store entertaining read. I feel like his style would have kept me a bit more enamored and engaged the whole time. ⁣
⁣
It s was one of those books you really should be looking up a million things while you read it (mostly art pieces) but I didn’t, so I about to not thoroughly understanding what I was reading as I went along in some parts. ⁣
⁣
Again, it wasn’t bad but apparently I’m a fangirl of Bill Bryson. 🤷‍♀️ So I decided to read a Bryson book next 😬

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

https://dunnooowrite.wordpress.com/20...

[d g · Rating 3 out of 5]

so all over the place but so fun

[Lavinia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wasn't interested to know that the cranial nerve number 7 is the one responsible for the smiling muscles. Other than that, there were some some fun facts quite interesting: about Orlan, Mona Lisa, Italian renaissance paintings, Dutch paintings of the xvith century and hen groping boys (yes, really, the most exciting part of the book, I swear).

Unfortunately everything lacked structure and it seemed presented in a somewhat chaotic mess. The author goes from art to dentists to religion to physiology and then back to art. The last two chapters of the book are focused only on plastic surgery and dentists. I was hoping to read more about the psychology behind the smile, let's say irony for example, or shyness, the smug face or other type of gestures that might resemble a smile. If that's what you're also looking for, carry on, you won't find anything like that in this book.

[Yvonne O'Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book examines the documentation of the smile throughout history, both through artistic representation and in scientific analysis. The author is an art historian and takes a very scholarly approach to the topic, examining primary texts and crucial sculptures, paintings and photographs.

At times the "Art-speak" was overwhelming. Mr. Trumble knows his stuff, but has a hard time making the information digestible to the average reader. The book is full of interesting trivia about dentistry and photography - among many other covered topics. The chapter divisions seem random ("Deceit", "Happiness",etc.) and don't add to the book's subject matter.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the chapters had some interesting points, their contents didn't always match the title - for example the conclusion-happiness- was about the smiles they create on corpses...? The majority of examples of smiles are taken from art, not behavioural examples or biology etc. as suggested by the blurb. Overall the book doesn't coincide with the title, nor am I convinced the author knows what he is talking about, being an art historian not a scientist.
I would recommend this book for general interest but not if you want to know the history of the smile.

[Tamara Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the kind of book that leads you to make mental notes to find a biography of Maurice Bowra or reread Through the Looking Glass. There are clues scattered throughout visual arts, literature, social history, and even language that can help us understand the changing message of the smile. While the book.could certainly be edited to improve the organization, it's readability and quantity of information and analysis is a lot of fun.

[kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bleh. One of the interdisciplinary books that are so popular today. This one was full of fancy scientific terms and latin vocabulary. It read like a poem that I read for rhythm and enjoyment, rather than a novel I can remember anything substantive out of. I've only read the first two pages of "Crying: A Natural and Cultural History of Tears" and it's already a bigger hit than "Smile."

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some interesting history but overall conjecture and speculation based on a lot of looking at portraits (as far as I can tell). Some loose tying in of the evolution of languages to how smiles/laughter/expression was immortalized in art but it seems like a stretch to present the vast speculation as truth.

[Jessica Draper · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rather more art-intensive than expected but informative and well-written review of what smiling has meant through various ages, with digressions into the musculature of smiling, a dash of the psychological research into smiles (babies--are they manipulative little critters or just happy?), and a cavalcade of amusing sidelights on English/European culture. A quick & easy read.

[Lindsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fascinating, love the art history tie ins. May not have been in the mood to read this type of book or the fact I never got a good interrupted stretch to read. It never absorbed me fully. I would much rather have attended a lecture on the topic then read the book. I may try something else by this author but it is highly unlikely.

[dejah_thoris · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very thorough history of the smile with an emphasis on its representation in visual art. The chapter on lewdness was my favorite because it features 17th Century naughty Dutch memes and the great Celtic goddess the sheela.

[Liz]

7/14/13 - I have to put this one back on the shelf. I got caught up in some other books and haven't looked at it in over 3 weeks.

[Sue Lipton · Rating 3 out of 5]

That was fun; would have enjoyed more illustrations.

[Otto]

Fun read; well researched and contrary to the views of Mary Beard, who cited it in her book on Roman Humor

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but meandering.

[Leli]

wishlist. someday...:D

[Huishu Jia]

smile