If you’re studying facial anatomy and are hungry for epic visuals, here is a short list of free and downloadable vintage anatomy books. 1, 3, and 4 go beyond head and neck; so if you’re going full body – there’s even more for you.
Some of these are public domain, meaning you are free to reuse the content within them. 4 is definitely good to go, and due to the listed print dates and publishing locations, I’m 90% sure that 1 and 3 are fine as well.
Enjoy! Comment if you have more vintage recommendations to add. They really don’t make ’em like they used to.
Your Curated Facial Anatomy Download List
- An Atlas of Human Anatomy for Students and Physicians by Carl Toldt, translated by Eden Paul (1919)
- This one is my personal FAVE. There looks to be at least one error with the origin of incisivus labii superioris on page 303 (adding a cadaver reference from more modern paper here for comparison), and some muscle names are outdated, but the illustrations are gorgeous and so worth checking out. In the future, I will add a supplementary doc with archaic muscle name translations and notes on possible errors.
- This one is my personal FAVE. There looks to be at least one error with the origin of incisivus labii superioris on page 303 (adding a cadaver reference from more modern paper here for comparison), and some muscle names are outdated, but the illustrations are gorgeous and so worth checking out. In the future, I will add a supplementary doc with archaic muscle name translations and notes on possible errors.
- Man’s Face and Mimic Language by Carl-Herman Hjortsjö (1970)
- If you’re an animator looking to gain a better grasp on facial muscles and what they do – OR if you’re studying FACS (Facial Action Coding System): Man’s Face and Mimic Language is a major MUST-HAVE. Hjortsjö was a Swedish anatomist dedicated to studying how facial muscles contribute to facial expressions. He also happens to be the unsung hero of FACS. Hjortsjö walked so Ekman could run, and his book is more artist-friendly than the FACS Manual.
- If you’re an animator looking to gain a better grasp on facial muscles and what they do – OR if you’re studying FACS (Facial Action Coding System): Man’s Face and Mimic Language is a major MUST-HAVE. Hjortsjö was a Swedish anatomist dedicated to studying how facial muscles contribute to facial expressions. He also happens to be the unsung hero of FACS. Hjortsjö walked so Ekman could run, and his book is more artist-friendly than the FACS Manual.
- Anatomy of the Human Body  by Henry Gray (1918)
- Ever heard of Gray’s Anatomy? This is THE Gray.
- Ever heard of Gray’s Anatomy? This is THE Gray.
- Traité complet de l’anatomie de l’homme by Jean Marc Bourgery, illustrated by Nicolas-Henri Jacob (1831)
- Another great one. There is a color reprint available as well, but this one is public domain, baby.