Twee aanzichten van het schedel van P.J. Janssens before 1881

This print shows two views of the skull of P.J. Janssens, and was made by an anonymous artist. The text at the bottom states that this is the skull of an assassin from Brussels. The practice of studying skulls in this way reflects the rise of phrenology in the 19th century; a now-discredited science that claimed to determine character and criminal tendencies based on the shape and size of the skull. This type of research was rooted in the idea that criminality was an innate, biological trait, rather than a product of social or economic circumstances. The Rijksmuseum’s acquisition and display of this print speaks to the ways in which art institutions can both reflect and reinforce prevailing social attitudes and scientific beliefs, even when those beliefs are later proven to be false or harmful. Sources on the history of criminology and phrenology can help us to understand the social context in which such images were produced and consumed.