Hippocrates theorized that all people fall into one of four basic "temperaments" or personality types: Melancholic, Sanguine, Choleric, and Phlegmatic. He assumed that each personality type was the result of an overabundance of a certain bodily fluid (black bile, blood, bile, and phlegm respectively), hence their designations. A Melancholic personality is characterized by creativity and sensitivity, though prone to depression. A Sanguine person is light hearted, spontaneous, and confident --though sometimes also day-dreamy and overindulgent. Cholerics are ambitions and charismatic, but often impulsive and easily angered. The Phlegmatic temperament is characterized by self-assured calm, though they can be unemotional and inhibit the enthusiasm of others.
While the notion that one's personality is shaped by an overabundance of phlegm or blood is now regarded as ridiculous, the 4 personality types Hippocrates identified have stayed with us. Though the types have changed and been refined, they are still part of the basis of modern personality modeling.
As products of the human mind, artworks often also can be attributed "personality" traits. An energetically painted landscape rendered in saturated color can be described as sanguine; a delicately lit black and white photograph of a contemplative figure can be said to be melancholy. An artwork's temperament does not necessarily reflect the temperament of the artist that produced it.
No comments:
Post a Comment