From skull to symphony: Mozart's true face uncovered through forensic science

For centuries, the true appearance of classical music’s genius, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, has been shrouded in mystery. 

The mystery of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's true appearance may finally be solved, as scientists have reconstructed his face from his skull, providing a glimpse of the legendary composer’s likeness, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. 

For centuries, Mozart’s physical appearance remained largely unknown, with most portraits painted long after his death, leading to various speculations and discrepancies.

Musicologist Alfred Einstein famously noted in 1962, “No earthly remains of Mozart survived save a few wretched portraits, no two of which are alike.” This has been a challenge for historians and researchers trying to piece together the composer's visual identity. However, the recently reconstructed face, based on a skull believed to be Mozart’s, could put this mystery to rest.

Cicero Moraes, a forensic facial reconstruction expert, and his team stumbled upon the skull while working on another project. Moraes explained, “During previous studies, we discovered by chance that there was a skull attributed to Mozart.” Despite missing parts like the mandible and some teeth, the team successfully reconstructed the skull using statistical data and anatomical coherence.

The reconstruction process involved techniques such as soft tissue thickness markers and anatomical deformation, allowing the team to project key facial features like the nose, ears, and lips. The result was a “gracile” face, which aligns with existing portraits of Mozart from his lifetime, including an unfinished portrait by Joseph Lange and a sketch by Dora Stock.

While the skull's authenticity remains debated, with differing conclusions from past studies, Moraes noted, “What we do know is that the skull has characteristics compatible with the portraits of him in life.”

Moraes, a classical music enthusiast, expressed his honor in working on such a high-profile project: “Personally, I feel very honoured.” The cause of Mozart’s death remains uncertain, but this new reconstruction may finally bring closure to one of music history’s greatest mysteries.

By Naila Huseynova