Final answer:
The frown on a visage can indicate different emotions or expressions depending on the context. In Roman portraits, it was used to convey seriousness of mind and virtue. Scientific research has shown that facial expressions, including frowning, can influence our emotional experiences.
Step-by-step explanation:
The frown on a visage can reveal different emotions or expressions depending on the context. In the case of the Roman aristocrat's portrait, the frown is meant to convey seriousness of mind and virtue, reflecting the subject's public career and the challenges he faced in the socio-political arena of the Late Roman Republic.
Scientific research has also shown that facial expressions can affect our emotional experiences. The facial feedback hypothesis suggests that our facial expression can influence our emotional state. For example, studies have found that suppressing the expression of certain emotions, such as frowning, can lower the intensity of those emotions. Moreover, paralyzed frowning muscles have been linked to reduced depression in some individuals.
Overall, the frown on a visage can serve as a visual indicator of various emotions, attitudes, or states of mind, depending on the cultural and individual context in which it is observed.