In 1668, Le Brun gave a lecture before the Academy of Painting and Sculpture on the visual “expression of passions,” demonstrating how facial features are affected by strong emotions. The text was first published in 1698 by the printmaker Etienne Picart, with illustrations by his son Bernard based on Le Brun’s drawings. Translations into English and other languages followed, and throughout the eighteenth century Le Brun’s work remained an important resource for visual artists as well as for actors.