DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20658#0085
BEAUTY. 71
the moderns. It is this inestimable quality that strikes the rnind, upon viewing the statues of an-
cient Rome, with more force than on contemplating the paintings of the greatest masters, though
assisted by all the powers of colours : from this it is evident that the beauty of form is of a higher
nature than that of colour, and imparts more dignity to the human frame. On viewing the Venus
of Medicis the face appears extremely beautiful; but on examining the elegance of her'general
form, the beauty of her face becomes less striking, and is almost eclipsed in such a multiplicity of
charms. These observations are confirmed by one of the Roman poets who, speaking of a very
handsome man who was candidate for the prize in some of the public games, says " that lie was
much expected and much admired by all the spectators, at his first appearance; but that, when he
flung off his robes and discovered the whole beauty of his shape altogether, it was so superioi\that'it
quite extinguished the beauties they had before so much admired in his face."
We conclude this article by laying before the student the directions of Felibien in his Entretitus
for the delineatiou of the female figure.
" The head should be well rounded and look rather inclining to small than large. The fore-
head white smpoth and open, not with the hair growing too deep upon it, neither flat nor promi-
nent but like the head, well rounded and rather small in proportion than large. The hair either
bright black or brown : not thin but full and waving; and if it falls in moderate curls the better.
The black is particularly useful for setting off the whiteness of the neck and skin. The eyes black,
chesnut, or blue; clear bright and lively; and rather large in proportion than small. The eye-
brows well divided, rather full than thin ; semicircular and broader in the middle than at the ends;
of a neat turn but not formal. The cheeks should not be wide ; should have a degree of plumpness,
with the red and white finely blended together; and should look at once firm and soft. . The ear
should he rather small than large, well folded, and with an agreeable tinge of red. The nose should
be placed so as to divide the face into two equal parts; should be of a moderate size, straight and well
squared; though sometimes a little rising in the nose, which is but just perceivable, may give a very
Graceful look to it. The mouth should be small, and the lips not of equal thickness : they should
be well turned, small rather than gross, soft even to the eye, and with a living red in them. A truly
prettv mouth is like a rose-bud that is beginning to blow. The teeth should be middle-sized, white,
well ranged, and even. The chin of a moderate size, white, soft, and agreeably rounded. The
neck should be white, strait, and of a soft easy and flexible make; rather long than short; less
above, and encreasing gently toward the shoulders: the whiteness and delicacy of its skin should
be continued, or rather go on improving to the bosom. The skin in general should be white, pro-
perly tinged with red ; with an apparent softness, and a look of thriving health in it. The shoul-
ders should be white, gently spread, and with a much softer appearance of strength than in those
of men. The aqps should be white round firm and soft; and more particularly so fron>the elbow
to the hands. The hand should unite insensibly with the arm ; just as it does in the statue of
the Venus of Medicis. They should be long and delicate, and even the joints and nervous parts
of them should be without either any hardness or dryness. The fingers should be fine long round
<md soft; small and lessening towards the tips of them: and the nails long, rounded at the ends,
and pellucid. The bosom should be white and charming; and the breasts equal in roundness,
whiteness and firmness; neither too much elevated, nor too much depressed; rising gently and
very distinctly separated ; in one word, just like those of the Venus of iViedieis. The sides should
be
the moderns. It is this inestimable quality that strikes the rnind, upon viewing the statues of an-
cient Rome, with more force than on contemplating the paintings of the greatest masters, though
assisted by all the powers of colours : from this it is evident that the beauty of form is of a higher
nature than that of colour, and imparts more dignity to the human frame. On viewing the Venus
of Medicis the face appears extremely beautiful; but on examining the elegance of her'general
form, the beauty of her face becomes less striking, and is almost eclipsed in such a multiplicity of
charms. These observations are confirmed by one of the Roman poets who, speaking of a very
handsome man who was candidate for the prize in some of the public games, says " that lie was
much expected and much admired by all the spectators, at his first appearance; but that, when he
flung off his robes and discovered the whole beauty of his shape altogether, it was so superioi\that'it
quite extinguished the beauties they had before so much admired in his face."
We conclude this article by laying before the student the directions of Felibien in his Entretitus
for the delineatiou of the female figure.
" The head should be well rounded and look rather inclining to small than large. The fore-
head white smpoth and open, not with the hair growing too deep upon it, neither flat nor promi-
nent but like the head, well rounded and rather small in proportion than large. The hair either
bright black or brown : not thin but full and waving; and if it falls in moderate curls the better.
The black is particularly useful for setting off the whiteness of the neck and skin. The eyes black,
chesnut, or blue; clear bright and lively; and rather large in proportion than small. The eye-
brows well divided, rather full than thin ; semicircular and broader in the middle than at the ends;
of a neat turn but not formal. The cheeks should not be wide ; should have a degree of plumpness,
with the red and white finely blended together; and should look at once firm and soft. . The ear
should he rather small than large, well folded, and with an agreeable tinge of red. The nose should
be placed so as to divide the face into two equal parts; should be of a moderate size, straight and well
squared; though sometimes a little rising in the nose, which is but just perceivable, may give a very
Graceful look to it. The mouth should be small, and the lips not of equal thickness : they should
be well turned, small rather than gross, soft even to the eye, and with a living red in them. A truly
prettv mouth is like a rose-bud that is beginning to blow. The teeth should be middle-sized, white,
well ranged, and even. The chin of a moderate size, white, soft, and agreeably rounded. The
neck should be white, strait, and of a soft easy and flexible make; rather long than short; less
above, and encreasing gently toward the shoulders: the whiteness and delicacy of its skin should
be continued, or rather go on improving to the bosom. The skin in general should be white, pro-
perly tinged with red ; with an apparent softness, and a look of thriving health in it. The shoul-
ders should be white, gently spread, and with a much softer appearance of strength than in those
of men. The aqps should be white round firm and soft; and more particularly so fron>the elbow
to the hands. The hand should unite insensibly with the arm ; just as it does in the statue of
the Venus of Medicis. They should be long and delicate, and even the joints and nervous parts
of them should be without either any hardness or dryness. The fingers should be fine long round
<md soft; small and lessening towards the tips of them: and the nails long, rounded at the ends,
and pellucid. The bosom should be white and charming; and the breasts equal in roundness,
whiteness and firmness; neither too much elevated, nor too much depressed; rising gently and
very distinctly separated ; in one word, just like those of the Venus of iViedieis. The sides should
be