Charles Darwin published The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals in 1872. John Murray issued the first edition in London on 26 November of that year, making it Darwin’s major study of emotional behavior and expression.
Darwin argued that human expressions such as smiling, frowning, blushing, and baring the teeth had evolutionary histories and could be compared with behaviors in other animals. He examined emotions including happiness, sadness, fear, anger, surprise, and disgust, linking mental states to recognizable bodily movements.
The book grew out of research Darwin originally considered including in The Descent of Man, published in 1871. His preparation involved questionnaires, observations of children and animals, discussions with doctors, and photographs. He also drew on the work of the French neurologist Duchenne de Boulogne, whose experiments investigated facial muscles and expression.
A frequent mix-up is confusing the publication year with the 1871 date of The Descent of Man or with later translations and revised editions. The original English work appeared in 1872 and quickly sold thousands of copies. Its use of photographic illustrations also made it an important landmark in the history of scientific publishing.