Marin Cureau de la Chambre

Marin Cureau de la Chambre (1594 – 29 December 1669) was a French physician and philosopher born in Saint-Jean-d'Assé, a village near Le Mans.

Reportedly the monarch was impressed by Cureau de la Chambre's ability to judge human character based on physical appearance.

Marin Cureau de la Chambre is largely known for his work in physiognomy.

He wrote articles on many other topics, including palmistry, digestion, "reasoning" in animals, occult practices and optics.

He was the father of clergyman Pierre Cureau de La Chambre (1640–1693) and of François Cureau de La Chambre (1630-1680) who succeeded him at the Botanical Garden (Jardin des Plantes)..[1] He died in Paris on December 29, 1669.