“笑”是人类最基本的情感表达方式，但中外各个历史时期对“笑”的刻画却大不相同：古希腊雕像笑得端庄高雅，佛兰芒画家笔下的少年笑得天真调皮;几百年前，人们以笑不露齿为礼仪，而今人们则开怀大笑，尽情展露内心的喜悦。
Ifyousaycheese, youarereadyforthephotographertorenderapicture-perfectportraitcompletewithsmile. That’sthewayithasbeensincearound 1920, whenphotographersatBritishpublicschools[1] developedthetradition. Andyetthatisnotthewayithasalwaysbeen.
InAustraliathereisafashionforsaying “money.” Spaniardssay “patata” (potato) andtheJapaneseusetheEnglishword “whisky.” TheCzechsusedtousetheCzechwordforcheese, butnowsay “fax” whichmayhurtlethemintomodernity.[2] Plentyoflanguagesdon’thaveasmileword; thephotographersjustaskforasmileandthesubjectsdothebesttheycan.
Wedon’tsmilejustforthephotographer, ofcourse. Let’sexaminesmilesinart. YoucanbettheMonaLisaishere, asisFransHals’s[3] LaughingCavalier. Thereisafamous “archaicsmile”[4] onearlyGreeksculpture. Thefiguresofyoungmenandwomenstandstiffly, buttheirmysterioussmilesgivethemareassuringamountoflife.[5]
DutchandFlemishpaintersofthe 17thcenturyhadafavoritesubjectofthe “hennetaster,” or “chickengroper,” aboywhosmilesashefeelsupahentoseeifshehasaneggontheway.[6] Theseenormouslypopularpaintingswereriotouslyfunnytotheirownersandthegueststowhomtheyweredisplayed; thehumorinpartderivedfromtheinterchangeabilityoftheDutchwordsforbird, birds, orhenswiththoseforgenitalia, women, andotherdoubleentendres.[7]
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