The ideal of female beauty in different eras. Genius of pure beauty

Good day to all!
Today we will talk again about the standards of beauty and this time we will move to the Renaissance. The last review about the Middle Ages caused a lot of controversy and controversy, so before we get into today's topic, I would like to once again thank all those who expressed words of support for the post and the topic in general, as well as those who expressed criticism. Because criticism is one of the most powerful incentives for self-improvement
I tried to take into account the comments made as much as possible, so welcome to the cat.

Renaissance or Renaissance is an era in the cultural history of Europe that replaced the Middle Ages and preceded the Enlightenment. The word itself in relation to the era came into use around 1550 with the light hand of the Italian painter, architect and founder of modern art history Giorgio Vasari.
The source of the Renaissance was Italy. But gradually the whole of Europe shared this discovery with her. So it is almost impossible to name the exact date of the beginning and end of the Renaissance. If we are talking about Italy, then the starting date should be attributed to the 13th century, and for northern countries and 1600 will not be too late. In general, the Renaissance came to different countries at different times.
In the sphere of ideology, culture and art during the Renaissance, a revolutionary revolution took place, a secular vision of the world, Renaissance culture, emerged. Its ideological basis is humanism, a new worldview, at the center of which is man, his dignity, his creative powers. Reviving what was long forgotten, the Renaissance rediscovers the treasures of ancient culture. This period was marked by the flourishing of art, which clearly reveals the humanistic ideal of a beautiful, harmonious person.
However, despite the unconditional positive dynamics in views on man, it would not be entirely correct to idealize the Renaissance and see in it only the return of the ancient spirit. XV and XIV centuries witnessed the spread of obscurantism of alchemists, astrologers, sorcerers and witch hunts. It was also time massacres in America and the beginning of the deportation of blacks to the New World.

What were the ideas and traditions of beauty in this historical period?

Body cult

The ideal of the Renaissance was a sensual man, capable of arousing in the other sex sexual attraction. After the fall of the ancient world, bodily beauty celebrated its highest triumphs. The fragile elongated silhouettes are replaced by the massive nudity of Rubens' nude figures.
The artists of that era best expressed their ardent admiration for the female body. “Allegory, mythology, history, the Bible, the martyrdom of saints,” J. Bousquet wrote in his book, “everything became just an excuse to depict the same subject - the female body.” This erotic exaltation was characteristic of all of Europe, with the exception of Spain.


A man is considered perfect if he has developed signs that characterize his strength and energy. A woman is declared beautiful if her body has all the attributes necessary to fulfill her intended motherhood. First of all, the breast was held in high esteem; as a symbol, it gained more and more importance the further the Renaissance developed. Her idealized image is one of the inexhaustible motifs of the era.
The new female silhouette was defined in Italy, where men increasingly valued the “voluptuous body” in women. At the same time, the increasingly frequent use of carriages and heavier food, of course, played a role in the evolution of forms. Gluttony was a fairly common vice among the Italian nobility. The diet was characterized by an extraordinary abundance of meat, mainly poultry and game, so the dinner offered to Pantagruel in the fourth part of Rabelais’s book was not as fantastic as one might think In addition, the food of wealthy gentlemen during the Renaissance was not only plentiful, but also included an abundance of spices and sweets.

In contrast to the Middle Ages, which preferred women with narrow hips and a slender figure, preference was now given to wide hips, strong waist, thick buttocks. The most thorough, detailed and numerous descriptions are devoted to female beauty. Men express their demands for a woman's physical beauty in the clearest and most precise descriptions. For example, a very common wedding song lists the “thirty-five virtues of a beautiful girl,” among which it was explained that “a woman should be tall and full build, should have a head like a native of Prague, legs like a native of the Rhine, a chest like a wreath, a stomach like a Frenchwoman, a back like a native of Brabant, arms like a resident of Cologne.”

No less striking evidence in favor of the sensual tendency of the Renaissance is its attitude towards nudity. It is known that then nudity was treated quite simply. In the 16th century It was customary to strip naked and sleep without any clothes. And this applied to both sexes of all ages; often husband, wife, children and servants slept in a common room, not even separated by partitions. This was the custom not only among the peasantry and the lower classes, but also among the higher burghers and aristocracy. They were not embarrassed even in front of the guest, and he usually slept in a common bedroom with his family. If a guest refused to undress, then his refusal aroused bewilderment. How long this custom lasted can be seen from one document dating back to 1587, in which this custom is condemned, and therefore still existed.
The beautiful body was displayed not only through idealizing art. In this, the people of the Renaissance went much further, boldly flaunting their nudity in front of the whole world. There was, for example, a custom of meeting noble persons in front of the city walls completely naked beautiful women. History has recorded a number of such meetings: for example, the entry of Louis XI into Paris in 1461, Charles the Bold into Lille in 1468, Charles V into Antwerp in 1520.
Another feature privacy, which serves as no less classical proof of the cult of physical beauty characteristic of the Renaissance, is the description and glorification of the intimate bodily beauty of a lover or wife by a husband or lover in a conversation with friends. Señor Brantôme reports: “I knew several seigneurs who praised their wives to their friends and described to them in great detail all their charms.” Moreover, in this case they did not shy away from disclosing even the most intimate details.


The Renaissance was not only characterized by sensuality. At times she knew neither hypocritical modesty nor fear. This straightforwardness, in turn, led to those features due to which some fashionable traditions of the Renaissance sometimes seem so provocative and strange to us.
The most striking example is the tradition of bare breasts. The Renaissance held the view that “a naked woman is more beautiful than one dressed in purple.” Baring the breasts was not only not considered a vice, but, on the contrary, was part of the universal cult of beauty, as it served as an expression of the sensual impulses of the era. All women gifted with beautiful breasts had more or less low-cut breasts. Even middle-aged ladies tried to create the illusion of full and lush breasts for as long as possible. Unlike other eras, during the Renaissance women wore low necklines not only in the ballroom, but also at home, on the street and even in church.

In order to better draw attention to the beauty of the breasts, to their most valuable advantages - elasticity and splendor - women sometimes decorated their halos with diamond rings and caps, and both breasts were connected with gold chains, burdened with crosses and jewelry. Catherine de Medici came up with a fashion for her court ladies that drew attention to the chest by the fact that in the upper part of the dress, on the right and left, two round cutouts were made, revealing bare breasts. A similar fashion, due to which only the chest and face were revealed, reigned in other places. Where custom required noble ladies to cross the street only under a shawl or a mask (as in Venice, for example), they obediently hid their faces, but more generously exposed their breasts.
The degree of cleavage often depended on the woman’s class affiliation. The ruling classes, for whom women were considered the main luxury item, took the neckline to the last extreme. Among the burghers and urban nobility, women did not wear as much décolletage as in the courts of absolute sovereigns. But the bourgeois women also wore their low necklines very noticeably. One description of costumes dating back to the beginning of the 15th century says: “Rich girls wear a dress with a cutout in front and back, so that the breasts and back are almost naked.” The Limburg Chronicle, also dating back to the 15th century, says: “And women wear wide necklines, so that half of the breast is visible.” In addition, the bodice pushed the breasts up in such a way that the slightest movement of the woman was enough for the breasts to come out of the dress. Women, gifted by nature with beautiful breasts, undoubtedly did not miss the opportunity to provide men with such a pleasing sight to the eye

Another interesting custom is the custom of bathing together, which initially served only the purposes of cleanliness and health, and over time turned into one of the important forms of flirting. The gallant treatment of the woman bathing next to him served as the best reason for getting to know each other. And, of course, what man did not take advantage of such an opportunity for courtship. The premises where they bathed, whether it was a bathhouse or a swimming pool, were in most cases very limited in area, and, despite the fact that the places where men and women bathed were usually separated from each other by a partition, the latter was so low that it never interfered with peeking (and even more so to use your hands ). As for baths, the main form of bathing, men and women certainly bathed together in them, as a number of paintings and drawings show. So over time, bathing turned from a means of promoting health into a convenient occasion for the most outright flirting. Subsequently, when both sexes bathed separately, both parties had ample opportunity after the bath to catch up, since there was a custom that after bathing both sexes gathered for joint revelry and dancing. And the decrees banning communal bathing were apparently regularly and regularly ignored.

Hair

During the Renaissance, a special golden-red hair color, so beloved by Venetians, was in fashion - a color that later came to be called “Titian’s color.” This color is an obligatory touch for a Renaissance beauty: “thin and light, similar sometimes to gold, sometimes like honey, shining like the rays of the sun, curly, thick and long, scattered over the shoulders in waves,” as he wrote in his “Treatise on Beauty and love" by Agostino Nifo in 1539.
The monk of the Vallambrosa order, Agnolo Firenzuola, in his treatise “On the Beauty of Women” gives us his idea of ​​the ideal of beauty in the Renaissance: “The value of hair is so great that if a beauty were adorned with gold, pearls and dressed in a luxurious dress, but did not put her hair in order hair, she did not look beautiful or elegant... a woman’s hair should be soft, thick, long, wavy, the color should be like gold, or honey, or the burning rays of the sun.”


So, in Venice, ladies were ready to sit for hours in closed booths on the roofs of houses, exposing their hair, soaked in various bleaching solutions, to the rays of the scorching sun, in the hope of getting a bright golden color with a red tint. Wide-brimmed hats without a crown were also used for the same purpose. The hair was laid out on the brim for natural sun bleaching, while at the same time the wide brim protected the face from sunburn.
Often hair was dyed using lye made from wood ash, they were bleached and then covered with a suitable dye - saffron, turmeric, rhubarb, sulfur or henna. Due to regular washing of the hair with lye, hair often fell out, but this, of course, did not stop the inveterate fashionistas.
According to the Renaissance canon of beauty, the forehead had to be unnaturally high, and therefore it was shaved, trying to remove the eyebrows at the same time. But we remember this from the Middle Ages))

Women create all kinds of hairstyles from beautifully intertwined and styled curled strands and braids. They are decorated in an antique style with nets, bandages, and hairpins; wear hats and blankets.
In Spain, the hairstyle was simple and smooth, parting the hair in the middle and placing it over the forehead with rollers. They could be decorated with a tattoo or a high current. Women from the common people wore caps or scarves (hats were put on top of them). According to custom, city women were not supposed to leave the house without wrapping themselves in a blanket. Later, the bedspread turned into a lace mantilla, a colorful element of Spanish life.
In France, hairstyles were also simple and consisted of hair combed onto a roller. Noblewomen covered them with arsele and attife - headdresses on a crescent-shaped (heart-shaped) frame, to which a veil was attached. They could wear a hat, a baret or a current. Townswomen and peasant women traditionally wore a cap, throwing a dark chaperon over it when going out.
The evolution of hairdressing during the Renaissance is reflected in the paintings of Sandro Botticelli. In the portrait of Simone Vespucci, created by him in 1485, you can see how complex women's hairstyles were sometimes. Open forehead, parting, decorated with pearls, curls curled in small waves. A wide strand on the side flows smoothly through the middle of the braid, laid at the back of the head in the form of a hoop, to end in free-falling curls. In the middle of the braid, curls are laid in a bun, intercepted with a ribbon. A loose bun of hair, intercepted crosswise with a ribbon, descends down the back, and on the left is a thin braid, decorated with pearls. This masterpiece of hairdressing is completed by a thin curl, styled like a Gothic barbette under the chin.

Such complex hairstyles required a large amount of hair, so additional details were often used for them: ready-made chignons, buns, braids, hair plaits. In general, Renaissance hairstyles were distinguished by a complex interweaving of braids, plaits and free-flowing curls. Many of them are depicted in the paintings of Leonardo da Vinci.

The Florentine braid was one of the most popular hairstyles of the time. The hair was parted in the middle, combed on the sides in a semicircle from the face to the back of the head, and a few strands at the temples were cut, curled and lowered onto the face. Along the back, following the example of a “knight’s braid,” a long strand of hair fell, tied crosswise with a ribbon. At the back of the head they attached a flat headdress - a transado - with a long case in which the tied braid was placed. Instead of transado, pearl threads in several rows were sometimes used. By the way, the richer the lady was, the more jewelry adorned her hairstyle.


In the 15th century, Venice pushed aside Florence, becoming a trendsetter, which was imitated in other countries of Western Europe. Venetian hairstyles resembled a roller with hair placed inside. Along with them, hairstyles that were a combination of braids and curls with strips of fabric woven into them were popular. They were supplemented with nets with chains, ribbons, pearls, precious stones, silver and gold threads. Such nets were fastened high on the back of the head and descended to the shoulders.
Hairstyles were complemented by headdresses: berets, turbans, caps, the fashion for which was also introduced by the Venetians. By the end of the Renaissance, hairstyles with braids or plaits around the head became popular. Lightly curled thin strands emerged from underneath them; in another case, the strands were arranged in figure-of-eight strands on the forehead.

Clothing and jewelry

Renaissance costume also reflected new humanistic ideas. Unlike the medieval one, it is designed not to hide, but to emphasize beautiful proportions and forms. It is now customary to partially expose the body.
The new ideal of beauty dictated new trends in fashion. The desire to make the waist wider, for example, led to the so-called Wulstenrock (cushion skirt, roller skirt), thanks to which body shapes acquired a colossal size. Demonstratively emphasizing the breasts was achieved with the help of a corsage. Women at all costs wanted to appear plump and have curvaceous figures.
Medieval attire was relatively simple. Of course, there were many options, depending on the taste and wealth of the owner, but, in essence, it consisted of a loose one-color robe like a cassock. However, with the advent of the 15th and 16th centuries, the world of clothing burst into flames with a rainbow of vibrant colors and a fantastic variety of styles. Not content with the luxury of brocade and velvet, the rich covered their outfits with pearls and gold embroidery; precious stones were placed on the fabric so tightly that it was not visible. Primary, primary colors, which were often combined in contrast, became favorite then.

Often, individual parts of one suit were cut from fabric different color. One leg of the stocking pants was red, the other was green. One sleeve is purple, the other is orange, and the robe itself could be a third color. Each fashionista had his own personal tailor, who came up with styles for him, so balls and meetings made it possible to admire the widest variety of outfits. Fashion changed at an unprecedented speed. A London chronicler in notes about the reign of Elizabeth I notes: “Forty years ago in London there were not even twelve haberdashers selling elaborate hats, glasses, belts, swords and daggers, and now every street, from the Tower to Westminster, is crowded with them and their shops , sparkling and shining glass."

Still in use was the "gennin", a headdress with a frame of hard paper or starched linen a yard high, covered with silk, brocade or other expensive fabric. It was complemented by a long veil that flowed from the crown to the toes. The most pretentious dandies had their veils dragging along the floor. In some palaces the ceilings had to be raised so that a fashionable lady could pass through the doors.
The taste for ostentation spread to all levels of society. “Nowadays you can’t tell a servant in a tavern from a lord, or a scullery maid from a noble lady.” These kinds of complaints were heard everywhere, and there was some truth in them. To preserve clear social differences, attempts have been made to revitalize appearance laws. They meticulously described what different classes of society could and could not wear. Elizabeth of England forbade commoners to wear breeches and crinolines. In France, only people of royal blood were allowed to wear clothes made of gold and silver brocade. In Florence, common women were not allowed to wear furs or certain shaped buttons made from a number of materials. Immediately after their adoption, these laws were subject to general reproach and were not enforced. They were accepted again, coming up with other types of prohibitions and punishments, but again they were not paid attention to. The only limiting factor was the size of the wallet.

Women wore soft shoes, sometimes with high soles.
Precious rings with a hidden box were a common decoration. Women decorated their hair with strings of pearls and precious stones. Gold chains with small bells were worn over clothing. Earrings with precious stones and necklaces made of large pearls were also favorite jewelry.


A woman's costume consisted mainly of three main items: a shirt, a dress and an outer dress (cape). The shirt is still long, with long sleeves. The dress is sewn with a cut-off, tight-fitting bodice, a large neckline, and a full, pleated or gathered skirt. The waistline is sometimes high, the sleeves are puffy, wide at the top, with slits and puffs (sometimes tied with ribbons to the bodice). Outerwear The simara served was reminiscent of a medieval upeland and had a free back folded into folds. The silhouette of the dress does not have a rigid frame and has soft outlines. Its dominant feature is the horizontal: shoulders, wide bottom. The shoulder girdle is especially emphasized - the puffy top of the sleeves, the open collar of a shirt or jacket, and the neckline for women.
The costume of peasant women and city women is simpler, it is made from cheaper and coarser fabrics. Peasant women's dresses, as a rule, were shorter (the hem did not reach the ground), the bodice was laced, and an apron was worn over the dress.

Common to the European costume were certain types clothes, decoration techniques. Clothes in the most different places it was customary to “cover” with cuts various shapes and sizes.
In the 15th century Florence was the trendsetter. Women's Italian costume of the Renaissance was richer and more varied than men's. The clothes were loose and flowed gently, emphasizing the shape of the body. In the 15th century Italian women wore a dress called “gamurra”. There was no underwear at that time. Ladies wore two outer dresses made of expensive brocade and velvet fabrics at the same time. They were cut at the waist, with a narrow bodice and a long pleated or gathered skirt. The neckline was made square on the chest and triangular on the back (which visually lengthened the neck). Often the bodice in front was split, with lacing.
An important innovation in women's costume was that the sleeves reached only to the hands, leaving them open (according to medieval etiquette, the hands should have been hidden).
Dresses for young girls were made from lighter fabrics and were often belted in an antique style under the breasts. Light, expensive capes were thrown over the top or fabric gathered into a small fold was attached to the dress, which slightly dragged along the floor.
Women's costume was complemented by hanging purses, gloves and richly embroidered handkerchiefs, which began to come into fashion at this time.

In the 16th century Florence gave way to Venice in terms of primacy in determining fashion trends. In the 16th century Italian costume gradually changes, its cheerfulness, light or bright colors are replaced by darker ones. At the end of the 16th century. under the triple influence of Spain, Catholic reform and Calvinist severity, black triumphs over all colors in clothing.
The costume seemed to have matured, reflecting the new ideal of the time - maturity and experience. Since that time, Italian costume and the appearance of Italians have been subject to strong Spanish influence.

In the 16th century Women's underwear and stockings appear for the first time. Florentine stockings, made from snow-white fabric, were considered the most fashionable. At the same time (at the end of the 16th century) the first lace appeared. They were not knitted, but sewn with a needle. It was very labor-intensive work, and they were incredibly expensive. Venetian lace was especially famous - embossed, dense, with a clear geometric pattern. The secret of their production was carefully hidden.


At the beginning of the 16th century. the women's costume is still soft, flexible and light, but gradually becomes heavier, becoming more magnificent and decorative. A deep neckline appeared, covered with an insert
Black half masks came into fashion, which women wore when going out - partly so as not to be recognized. This was the privilege of the nobility.
Gloves and handkerchiefs became a mandatory part of a noble lady's costume. The gloves were made of fabric and decorated with embroidery and precious stones. The handkerchiefs were also very beautiful, with embroidery and lace. Italian ladies hung small bags for keys and money from their belts. The costume was complemented by a fan - at first it was a rectangular wire frame covered with silk fabric, and in the second half of the 16th century. folding fans appeared. Instead of a fan, a lady could use a fan or a bunch of ostrich feathers.
In winter, Italian women warmed their hands in muffs that were made of silk and trimmed with fur.

The most common fabrics in the 16th century. time traditionally are wool and linen. The leadership in the production of complex weaving products belonged to Italy. Fashionable Italian clothes for the nobility were made from expensive fabrics: velvet, silk, brocade with silver and gold threads, decorated with embroidered or woven floral patterns. Venetian brocade with decorative patterns was especially famous. The royal courts of Europe bought it for big money for formal wear. The most fashionable fabric colors were green, emerald green and wine red.

The Spanish women's courtly aristocratic costume received a completed rigid frame form. The Spanish corset is made of iron, has no concave lines, its task is to straighten the figure and completely hide its shape. The bodice is triangular, ends with a scoop, the waist is dropped down. The shoulders are straightened, shortened, and provided with a cotton pad. The neck is completely covered with a cutter. The skirt is stretched over a frame made of metal hoops - verdugos, forming a pyramidal shape. Strict geometric shapes give the female figure dryness and slenderness. City and peasant women do not wear a metal frame. Their clothing consists of a shirt, a lace-up bodice and a wide skirt (several skirts).

In France, women's costume, like men's, is influenced by Italian and then Spanish influence. Since the 20s, a passion for the Spanish spindle frame began. Its shape in France was different - cylindrical (drum), and the skirts were draped in folds. The bodice was a rigid frame on which an underdress - a cotta - and an outer dress - a robe with a swinging skirt (their length reached the ankle) were put on. The square neckline was covered with a thin shirt, an insert with a stand-up collar, or not at all. Among the nobility and the bourgeoisie that imitated them, various accessories were popular: small hanging mirrors, wallets, gloves, fans, including folding lace fans. Aristocrats used masks made of black velvet or satin to protect them from wind, dust, sun rays, as well as from prying eyes. Gloves are widely used.

English costume is constantly experiencing a variety of foreign influences, the strongest of which was Italian-French in the first half of the 16th century. and Spanish - in the second.
IN women's clothing At first they use a leather corset, and later a Spanish-French frame. The outer dress - gaun - is made with a swing skirt. National peculiarity aristocratic dresses - triple sleeves. They wear hats, including toques; the French attife (“French hat”) is especially popular. The national headdress of English women, Gable, was made on a frame that resembled a house. The arsenal of various borrowings from Spanish and French fashions is so large that it leads to a complete loss of style; the dress seems to be a caricature of a Spanish costume. The frame of the skirts of English aristocrats, the so-called farzingale, shortens and disfigures the proportions female figure, visually lowering the waist.

The German costume is characterized by overload with details, an abundance of decoration, and refined forms. In Germany, new trends in Renaissance costume are perceived with a delay; its medieval elements predominate there. In general, clothing in both Germany and England is characterized by provincialism, the loss of the stylistic unity of Italian or Spanish costume. The most striking phenomenon of that time was the Landsknecht costume. Women's dress retains Gothic forms; it was also greatly influenced by French-Burgundian fashion. Top part because of the low and narrow armhole, it seems to swaddle the woman. The narrow sleeves, tied with fabric “bracelets,” have many slits and puffs. The overdress, which does not have a frame, often has a train and is draped in such a way as to give a “gothic curve” to the figure. The large square neckline is covered with a shirt or a special cape (goller). Typically German women's clothing is a bulky high cap worn over a cap (haarhaube) pulled down over the forehead. Gold chains are preferred for jewelry. The costume of the peasants and urban lower classes of both Germany and England will for a long time be characterized by medieval features.

Cosmetics and body and face care

Renaissance cosmetics are a clear confirmation of the aphorism “beauty requires sacrifice.” The beauties of that time went to great lengths to look charming. For example, red mercury sulfide was used as lipstick and blush. To whiten the face, a product with lead and vinegar was actively used; the skin, indeed, became whiter, but over time it turned yellow and it was impossible to reverse this process. Queen Elizabeth I of England was an ardent fan of such cosmetics. Her face reached such a degree of whiteness that it went down in history as the “Mask of Youth.”

Since in the man and woman of the Renaissance they saw primarily only gender, then in connection with the contempt for old age, both sexes have a passionate desire to “get younger again,” especially women. From this understandable melancholy grew to a large extent the idea of ​​the fountain of youth, which represented in the 15th and 16th centuries. such a common motive. It goes without saying that “science” was in a hurry to offer dozens of remedies to those who wanted to look younger. Charlatans, gypsies, old women sell them to gullible people on the streets and fairs, partly secretly, partly openly.
Rich city women and aristocrats are fond of cosmetics. It was at that time that the toilet and dressing room were invented, where there was a special table laden with cosmetic potions, incense, and trinkets.
During this historical period, all kinds of tonics to maintain beauty become especially relevant. One of the most famous - Suleiman's water - helped remove formations on the skin (spots, warts, freckles). The product is very effective, but due to the fact that it contained mercury, sulfur and turpentine, it also turned out to be extremely harmful. Its use promised serious damage to the skin.

With the advent of a new method of distillation, the production of alcohol-based perfumes flourished. The popularity of aromatic oils, lipsticks and lotions was simply unimaginable. It is not surprising that perfumers were even able to create their own guild. In addition, people of the Renaissance thought that perfumes and exquisite aromas could protect them from a number of diseases allegedly caused by “bad” air. The Italian perfumer Marquis de Frangipani was one of the first to create new scents using flowers and trees from the New World, in particular the West Indies. Flowers of bitter orange (neroli), Damask rose, lavender, and myrrh were especially in demand.
During the Renaissance, excessive “hairiness” on the female body was not welcomed. Renaissance literature explains hair removal for hygienic and medical reasons. The Andalusian author Gentille (1529) has evidence that the absence of body hair is a prevention of lice and protection from dirt. The role of the epilator was played by ordinary tweezers. Besides the rude mechanical method special ointments were used, which included lard, mustard, alcohol and other ingredients. The Venetian poet Bertolamo testifies that representatives of the most ancient profession removed not only hair on intimate places, but also completely plucked their eyebrows.
In general, courtesans spent a lot of time caring for their bodies, and in this they were in no way behind the ladies of high society. Some writers of the Renaissance even argued that priestesses of love were more neat and well-groomed than women from polite society.

List of used literature:
1) Blaze A. / History in costumes
2) Delumeau J. / Civilization of the Renaissance
3) Kibalova L., Gerbenova O., Lamarova M. / Illustrated Encyclopedia of Fashion
4) Kozyakova M.I./ History. Culture. Everyday life
5) Fuchs E. / History of morals
6) Chamberlin E. / Renaissance. Life, religion, culture

Thank you all for your attention!
Veronica

I. Stone Age - Good man there must be a lot

In the summer of 1908, in one of the ancient burial grounds near the town of Willendorf, located in Austria, archaeologist Joseph Szombati discovered a small figurine of a female figure. This is exactly what she looked like. According to a 1990 assessment, the figurine was made approximately 24-22 millennium BC, and according to some researchers, it may have been a fertility idol worshiped by our ancestors. One way or another, it follows from this that this is exactly what the ideal woman looked like in the Stone Age: large breasts, wide hips and excess (by our standards) body weight, but nevertheless, exactly the same build as was considered in that era, indicated that the woman eats well and can bear, give birth and raise a child. This is where the fertility idol comes from. And later aesthete sculptors appeared who were not inspired by ladies with too curvaceous figures, and in their figures they “glorified” slimmer women, but with the same unchanged wide hips.

II. Ancient Egypt - the beauty of Queen Nefertiti

And the full name of the famous Egyptian queen confirms her beauty - Nefer-Neferu-Aton Nefertiti, which translated means “The most beautiful of the beautiful Aten, the Beautiful One Has Come.” The Egyptians considered Aten the supreme god.

In contrast to the plump ideals of the Stone Age, the Egyptians, on the contrary, valued slimness (but not thinness) and long legs in women. A real Egyptian woman had to have broad shoulders, developed muscles, a flat chest, narrow hips, and delicate facial features. In those distant times, the Egyptians had a real “passion” for the color green: their eyes (always large and almond-shaped) were outlined with green paint made from copper carbonate; Green paint was obtained from crushed malachite and the feet were painted with it. Egyptian women also used cosmetics and painted attractive lips for themselves. As for hair, Egyptian women did not attach much importance to it; they did not grow it long, but shaved their heads, after which they put sheep wool wigs on their heads.

But the last Egyptian queen, Cleopatra VII, was by no means a beauty, but became famous for her charm, attractiveness, education, courage and audacity. She was short, stocky, had a prominent chin and narrow lips. Like many Egyptian women of that time, Cleopatra used various incense and took baths with donkey milk. The queen dyed her long nails terracotta with ordinary henna. It is not for nothing that manicure is believed to have first appeared in Ancient Egypt.

III. Ancient China - Beauty requires great sacrifices

The ideal of beauty in Ancient China was considered a small, fragile woman with tiny legs, therefore, according to Chinese customs, which became a tradition in the 2nd millennium, a Chinese woman was supposed to have small arched legs, reminiscent of the shape of a new moon or a lily. Otherwise, the chances of getting married were zero. Therefore, soon after birth, girls began to tightly bandage their feet, trying to stop their growth. The woman could not walk on her own and was literally carried in her arms. As a result, using this method it was possible to ensure that the length of the foot was limited to 10 cm.

In addition to small legs, Chinese women were valued for grace, restraint of movements, gestures and gait. A woman was forbidden to laugh in public, so as not to expose her teeth. Chinese women valued the whiteness and blush of their faces very highly, and to hide their natural dark complexion, they generously used cosmetics, including whitewash.

IV. Ancient Greece - Aesthetic Ideals

But in Ancient Greece, where they were popular Olympic Games and Spartan education, was considered the ideal fit woman athletic. Greek women were by no means perceived by society as only wives and mothers; they occupied an important place in social life. The aesthetic ideals of that time were based less on pure harmony than on the physical perfection of the whole body.

An ancient Greek legend says that Hercules once pretended to be a girl for a long time, hiding among the Ionians, which in those days could have been done quite simply, because the fair sex was a match for Hercules. However, still classic example The statue of the Venus de Milo, whose parameters are 86-69-93 and whose height is 164 cm, is considered to be of female antique beauty. Among Greek women they also valued a large forehead with widely spaced eyes, a Greek profile, broad shoulders, small bust, developed muscles, strong arms and hips.

V. Middle Ages - Dark Ideals

And the dark and formidable Middle Ages began. The times of asceticism, submission to Christianity and detachment from joys came, when nudity and in general everything bodily was denied as “sinful”, and the desire for beauty was included in the list of mortal sins. Women considered the Virgin Mary to be their ideal, and the female representatives who lived in that era tried to fully correspond to this ideal. The oval of the face had to be elongated, the forehead high, the eyes huge, the skin pale, the chest small. Although some women were still allowed to have large breasts, but only commoners, in order to emphasize their bad taste and ignorance. From childhood, noble ladies wore iron plates to prevent their breasts from developing, and also shaved the hair on their temples, foreheads and eyebrows to give their faces a more spiritual look and an absent, meek expression. The height had to be small, as were the mouth, hands, and feet. Thinness, hidden under loose and shapeless clothes, was valued, but in the Gothic era, a rounded belly also acquired value, for which purpose special quilted pads called barefoot were placed on the belly under the dress.

Hair was carefully hidden under caps or capes, and the Archbishop of Canterbury Anselm publicly proclaimed blond hair an unholy activity. Cosmetics that were previously so popular were also banned; only pallor, thinness and complete detachment from this world were in fashion.

VI. Renaissance - Resurrection of "earthly" beauty

During the Renaissance, the strict ideals of the Middle Ages receded and “earthly” beauty, which was previously considered sinful, was resurrected. In fashion are blond and red curly hair, long and slender necks and legs, wide and rounded shoulders, a medium (and sometimes well-fed) physique, false hips and bellies. The ideal of female beauty is considered to be the beauties from Botticelli's portraits or the famous Venus of Urbino from Titian's painting.

Clothing is becoming more revealing, daring necklines are acquiring, and representatives of the fair sex are not prohibited from posing nude for paintings, and beauties of that era are increasingly appearing on the canvases of famous masters of that time. Nothing reminds us of the strict ideals of the Middle Ages, except perhaps the white color of the skin, which also goes out of fashion over time, and according to the canons of that time, the skin should have been slightly reddish from blood circulation.

VII. Baroque - Grandeur and splendor of forms

The end of the 17th century was marked by the Baroque era, which became a real triumph for plump ladies with very rounded shapes. Broad shoulders are in fashion long necks, large breasts, curvy hips and, as strange as it may sound, cellulite. The favorite of the French king Louis XIV, Madame de Montespan, tried to follow the canons of the Baroque era. The trendsetter for curvaceous figures was Rubens, who created the ideal of a round and healthy woman. The same bold neckline is in fashion, as well as lush and frilly clothing - the key to female irresistibility.

VIII. Rococo - Lightness and grace in everything

At the beginning of the 18th century, Baroque was replaced by light, graceful and playful Rococo. The feminine ideal is no longer a plump woman; a lady of that era resembled a fragile porcelain figurine, and the famous royal favorite Marquise de Pompadour became the trendsetter. In women, rounded faces with pleasant cheeks, a slightly upturned nose, smooth rosy cheeks, and a small plump mouth are valued. However, what is in fashion is not thinness, but slight fatness, in which the lady had a waist even without a corset. Still held in high esteem blonde hair, the owner of which was the Marquise de Pompadour, whose name is given not only to the era, but also to the furnishings in the apartments, buildings, costumes, and hairstyle. It was she who set fashion throughout Europe with her ability to look luxurious and at the same time seem at ease.

As for hairstyles, in the Rococo era the main emphasis was on them. The wonders of hairdressing triumphed, women's hairstyles became more and more fanciful, more complex and higher. So some structures were half a meter high. During the construction of this eighth wonder of the world, they used wire, egg white and many other things indispensable for the Rococo era, which made it possible to erect “Babylonian towers” ​​on ladies’ heads.

Corsets became very popular, and after this an unspoken law appeared, according to which the waist circumference should not exceed the neck circumference of its owner’s lover, that is, approximately 30-40 cm. Only ladies of noble birth could wear a corset, and in order to put it on, tightening it and then removing it (which was very problematic) took a lot of time.

IX. Classicism - naturalness and a return to antiquity

After the era of playful Rococo, when a woman was a cheerful and graceful creature, decorated with ruffles and lace, and enclosed in the “embraces” of a corset, came the Great French Revolution, and with it the era of classicism. Late XVIII century was marked by the natural contours of the figure coming back into fashion, a return to the Renaissance, but rather to antiquity. Ladies refuse to wear corsets, but meanwhile they are in fashion a slim body with smooth lines and natural proportions of the body, without bodily excesses and without excessive thinness. The face had to be symmetrical, with a straight nose. The return of the Renaissance was evident, only in a more strict form.

X. Empire style - the era of Napoleon

The main trendsetter of that era was Josephine Beauharnais, who was at that time the first fashionista of the Empire. The main difference between Empire style and classicism is greater brilliance and splendor. If in the 1790s the schmiz was in fashion - a linen shirt with a deep neckline and short sleeves, then already in the early 1800s, cashmere shawls came into fashion as an “addition” to the schmiz. In Empire fashion, the imitation is not of Greek, but of Roman art. Ladies stop using decorative cosmetics and use only natural tones; Whiteness and softness of hands are valued, so Josephine wore gloves before going to bed. Women are abandoning wigs and complex hairstyles, in fashion natural hair. Empire dresses are light, but due to the harsh climate of Europe, with long sleeves and a small cutout at the chest. They are sewn using silk and velvet and decorated with rich embroidery in Greek and Egyptian styles. The era of ancient Rome triumphs, the era of splendor and pomp.

XI. Romanticism - Depth of heartfelt feelings

Paleness was considered the depth of the heart's feelings, and dark circles under the eyes were a sign of spirituality. As for fashion, Greek dresses from the classical era and dresses from the era of ancient Rome, so popular under Josephine Beauharnais, are a thing of the past. Skirts became longer, waists lower, and sleeves more gathered to enhance visual effect wasp waist. The crinoline and rigid corset, which made it possible to tighten the waist up to 40 cm, also became an integral part of the women's wardrobe.

XII. Positivism - Brightness replacing sophistication

At the end of the 19th century, fashion replaced the sophistication of romanticism with the brightness and brilliance of positivism, and the bourgeoisie became the trendsetter. At this time, there are two opposing types of beauty: in central Europe, Germany and America, preference is given to the curvaceous female forms of the Baroque era, and in France and England the silhouette of a slender woman is in fashion.

In women's costumes, the crinoline disappears, but a bustle appears - a special device in the form of a pad, which ladies put under the back of the dress below the waist to give a fuller figure. Dresses narrowed, as did the sleeves, and frills came into fashion.

Interest in ethnic costumes was emerging; in the women's wardrobe of that time one could see costumes with Indian motifs, which is explained by the craving for everything oriental, widespread at the end of the century.

XIII. Modern - Belle Epoque

The end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th was marked by the so-called Belle Epoque, the symbols of luxury and serenity of which were the pompous Brazilian Amazonas Theater and the luxurious liner Titanic. The golden age of automobile manufacturing and aeronautics, boulevards and cafes, the birth of cinema and the latest technologies, as well as the beginning of the suffrage movement began.

One of the innovations of that period was the appearance of the S-shaped silhouette, which emphasized the waist by forming a large bust and a fluffy back of the dress. Ladies more and more resembled a wavy line, and the waist was pulled down to 42 cm. Thus, at the beginning of the twentieth century, the structure completely changed women's dress. Ladies were appreciated, mostly short and preferably plump, drowning in the luxurious decor of various jabots, flounces and bows. Lush hats with a huge amount of curled ostrich feathers and high hairstyles were in fashion.

The famous French dancer and ballerina Cleo de Merode became the creator of a smooth, parted hairstyle that completely covered the ears, to which all the ladies' heads in Europe paid tribute. It was rumored that the ballerina was forced to resort to her because her left earlobe had been cut off, and newspapermen claimed that one of Cleo’s jealous lovers had shot off the lobe - he was aiming for the heart and hit the ear. Also thanks to de Merode, the fashion for loose hair spread, since when she danced, she let down her magnificent hair, which was unusual for ballet.

The ideal was considered a sophisticated and mysterious lady, with a veiled face and a languid gaze. To create the latter, women used crushed charcoal instead of mascara. There is a fashion for nervous, passionate and demonic ladies, as well as brunettes. And love for brunettes is love for the exotic. At the beginning of the 20th century, everyone knew the story of the exotic dancer and courtesan of Dutch origin Mata Hari, whose real name was Margaretha Gertrude Zelle. She pretended to be an exotic princess or Indian princess, and attracted the public with the frankness and exoticism of her dances.

Black eyes were also in fashion, and representatives of the fair sex instilled belladonna solution into their eyes to dilate their pupils and create a “witch look.” But no one thought about the consequences.

XIV. 20th century - Women's emancipation

After the end of the First World War, nothing remains of the pampered lady of the pre-war era. Women's emancipation is coming, the ideal is an independent brown-haired girl who is in no way inferior to men, smokes cigars and loves dancing. In fashion are short-cropped hair, thin plucked eyebrows, long necks and legs, tight chests, short skirts, and a thin, boyish figure.

However, after the end of the Second World War, thinness began to irritate men, and women with bodies came back into fashion. In the 50s, cold divas with boyish figures were replaced by ladies with sloping shoulders, large breasts, wasp waists and full skirts. Bras were not particularly popular, as fashionistas, obsessed with their beauty, did not give rest to feminists. The last ones were so outraged by this mania to devote so much time to their appearance that the bras that fell under the hot hand were called “an object of enslavement” that turns a woman into a doll. During mass protests, bras were even burned, and their sales around the world were halved. But elastic corsets came into fashion, which did not restrict movement and allowed one to reach a waist circumference of 25 cm. As for hairstyles, various ponytails, curls and combed hairstyles were in fashion.

But after the 60s, when people had already moved away from war fears, skinny ones came back into fashion, which are still thriving. But we can only guess what fashion will be like in another fifty years.

Incredible facts

Fashion and beauty are relative concepts.

What seemed attractive at the beginning of the century today seems ordinary or inappropriate.

Time flies, and with it, the standards of beauty of the female body are rapidly changing.

The article presents a selection standards of female beauty , from past centuries to our time. Videos and photographs prove that ideal is a very relative and extremely changeable concept.

Standards of beauty in different eras

Women in Ancient Egypt enjoyed freedom in everything. They enjoyed enormous privileges, equal to men. Many centuries passed before such gender equality returned to society.

Egyptian society was sexually liberated. For example, premarital affairs were not considered shameful; moreover, they were the norm of that time.

Women could own property independently of their husbands and had the right to initiate divorce without shame from society. Representatives of the fairer sex could also inherit the title of pharaoh.

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An important aspect of female beauty of this era in Ancient Egypt was considered to be long braided hair framing a symmetrical face. A special black paint was applied around the women’s eyes, making their gaze more expressive.

The following indicators were considered the standard of beauty of the female body:

- Slender body

- High waist

- Narrow shoulders

Beauty Ideals of Ancient Greece

Aristotle called female forms"deformed men" of that time. Indeed, Ancient Greece was very masculine-oriented.

The ancient Greeks were more focused on the ideal male physique than the ideal female physique, meaning that during this time period it was the stronger sex who were expected to achieve high standards of physical perfection.

For this reason, women were ashamed of their forms, since they were unlike men's. The female body was treated as a “failed copy of a man.”

Nudity was an integral part of ancient Greek society. Despite this trend, sculptures and paintings of nude women were often covered. The first important female nude sculpture in classical Greece was Aphrodite of Cnidus, which showed that beauty in ancient Greece meant the following:

- Appetizing shapes

- Tendency to be overweight

- Bright skin

Female beauty in different eras

Chinese society has been patriarchal since ancient times. The patriarchal system of government minimized the role and rights of women in society.

During the Han Dynasty, the standard of beauty was considered to be a woman whose appearance combined the following parameters:

- Slim, slender body emitting an inner glow

- Pale skin

- Long black hair

- Red lips

- White teeth

- Smooth gait

- Small foot

Small foot size has been considered the main indicator of the beauty of a Chinese woman for hundreds of years.

Beauty in the Renaissance

Renaissance Italy was a Catholic, patriarchal society. Women were expected to embody all virtues and were often separated from the male sex, both in society and at home.

The meaning and value of a woman was associated with her service to a man, God, father or husband.

It was believed that a woman's behavior and appearance reflected her husband's status. Beauty in Renaissance Italy meant that a woman should have the following appearance criteria:

- Pale skin

- Curvy shapes, including full hips and large breasts

- Blonde hair

- High forehead

The Victorian era in England lasted during the reign of Queen Victoria. She was the most influential figure of the era. The young queen was also a young wife and mother.

In Victorian society, thriftiness, family and motherhood were highly valued. These virtues were embodied in Queen Victoria herself.

The direction of that time was reflected in the appearance of the weaker sex. The woman wore corsets, tightening them as tightly as possible, which made her waist thinner.

The standard of femininity was considered to be a figure similar to hourglass. The criteria for beauty, despite the presence of a thin waist, were considered to be rounded shapes and a tendency to be overweight.

Beauty in different eras

In 1920, women in the United States gained the right to vote, and this set the tone for the entire decade. Finally, representatives of the fairer sex felt equality and freedom.

Women who obtained jobs during World War II expressed a desire to continue working after the war ended.

The so-called androgynous appearance came into fashion; women tried to visually make their waists appear lower and wore bras that flattened their breasts.

In the 20s of the last century, a woman with a boyish figure, a complete absence of curvaceous figures, and small breasts was considered beautiful. The bob haircut was also in fashion.

The standard of beauty in different eras

The Golden Age of Hollywood lasted from the 1930s to the 1950s. The so-called Hays Code code of ethics, adopted in Hollywood by the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors Association, created moral parameters regarding what could or could not be said and shown in films.

The code placed restrictions on the film roles available to women. Girls were considered beautiful if they had the following parameters:

- Appetizing shapes

- Hourglass figure type

- Lush breasts

- Thin waist

The embodiment of beauty and femininity of that time was the actress Marilyn Monroe.

Women in the 60s benefited from the liberation movements that swept through many countries around the world.

An increasing number of representatives of the fairer sex could be observed in the workplace. They had access to contraceptives. All these factors led to the rise feminist sentiments in society.

Women of any age are always concerned about their beauty - they adjust it to existing standards, endure painful procedures and limit themselves for the sake of their figure. However, if you look at it from a slightly different angle, you will find that each era had its own canons of beauty.

Surely, each of us looked at the works of Renaissance artists and thought - why do all the canvases depict ladies with curvy figures? Throughout the history of mankind there have been completely opposite requirements for female beauty, and they did not always correspond to modern ones.

This article contains the canons of beauty in different eras of ours!

Ancient Egypt

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Egyptian women were among the first to pay great attention to their beauty. They washed with soap in rivers, always used cosmetics and oiled their bodies. Egyptian women were slender, but not thin, but with developed muscles and small breasts. They often wore translucent outfits and waxed their entire bodies.

Much attention was paid to hair - thick dark hair, which was styled in a high hairstyle, was valued. Almond-shaped eyes, a straight nose and large lips were considered ideal facial features. Egyptians painted their eyebrows and lips, enlarged their eyelashes and caused a blush on their cheeks with iris juice.

All cosmetics were made from natural ingredients, including special body paint to give her a bronze tan. Hygiene was a top priority for them; in addition, women often used oils and aromatic mixtures to scent themselves.

Ancient Greece

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The ancient Greeks were the first to raise the proportions of the human body to the level of art. They paid great attention to harmony and sought to understand ideal forms. Scientists have found that according to the Greeks, a woman was considered beautiful with a height of 164 cm, and with proportions of 86-69-93. However, they usually portrayed goddesses; ordinary women did not inspire their creativity.

The Greeks believed that those who have an ideal body cannot have a sinful soul. They highly valued standards of beauty and expressed them in art. A woman's athletic body and small breasts were valued. The Greek canon meant a straight nose, wide eyes and large lips. Greek women's thick hair was often worn in complex hairstyles. By the way, in Ancient Greece, cosmetics and flashy clothes were not particularly respected - women mostly stayed at home with their children.

Ancient Rome

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IN Ancient Rome The fashion for long baths and aromatic oils has returned. For different parts Roman women used different oils on their bodies, and their baths were filled with rose petals and other fragrant ingredients. Rich Roman women spent a lot of time before going public.

The ideal of female beauty was considered to be a portly and stately figure with prominent hips, which guaranteed her ability to bear children. Facial features should be large - eyes, lips, nose; the hump on the nose was especially valued as a sign of aristocracy. As for the hair of the Romans, it was dark, but they had the fashion to lighten it or wear light wigs. Caring for curls and complex hairstyles were part of the mandatory procedures of ancient Roman women.

Middle Ages

After the fall of the Roman Empire, female beauty gradually began to fade, and religion turned self-care, cosmetics and jewelry into sinful thoughts. The main feature of medieval ladies was asceticism, their hair was hidden under headdresses, their dresses were heavy and closed. The main canon of beauty was considered fragility and miniature, huge eyes and the image of innocence.

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The image of the ideal woman was the Virgin Mary, who was depicted as full of sorrow and very thin. In the 13th century, people's well-being began to improve, and plump Madonnas and Babies and beautiful ladies came into fashion. The image of a white-skinned and fragile girl who inspired knights to exploits began to be popularized in society. During Gothic times, pregnant ladies were especially beautiful, so everyone put an imitation belly under their dress, even brides.

Hygiene, like cosmetics, was not in the first place, so perfumes were created to repel unpleasant body odors. Facial features were small; large eyes and a high forehead were valued. Also, a thin figure with a complete absence of breasts was considered the standard of beauty - girls tightened their bust and hid it in every possible way. Only two centuries later, corsets became popular, which lifted the breasts and highlighted them, and ladies began to emphasize their beauty and decorate themselves.

Renaissance era

It’s not for nothing that this period is also called the Renaissance; Europe came to life after several centuries of prohibitions and again showed attention to the body. Beauty began to be considered a gift from God, and women and men were expected to have obvious gender differences. Ladies valued large hips and breasts, and artists praised women's bodies and depicted them in art.

During the Renaissance, great attention was paid to women's breasts; artists often depicted breastfeeding or naked women. The Church stopped zealously monitoring sinfulness, and naked bodies on canvas became fashionable. Outfits have also become more revealing and flattering. During this period there was a real flourishing in European society in all directions.

Baroque

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In the Baroque era, as the 16th-17th centuries were also called, fashion was dictated by France, ruled by Louis XIV. As in the Renaissance, voluminous shapes were valued, but with one difference - women should have a thin waist and a swan neck. The thinness of the waist was achieved with the help of a corset, which at the same time raised the chest and made the bust attractive.

After the lush and rich Baroque came the Rococo era. She is more feminine - women resembled porcelain figurines. Much attention was paid to women's breasts; dress bodices were more revealing and accessible to men. They also pay attention to underwear - decorated stockings and beautiful petticoats are in fashion.

The figure becomes more fragile and graceful, ladies emphasize their thin waist and wide hips. Cosmetics are actively used, girls spend tons of powder and draw spots on their faces. A separate topic is wigs, they have become a real work of art. This era is distinguished by theatricality and flirtation - even in the paintings, women took flirtatious poses.

19th century

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This century is also called the Empire era; corsets and full skirts finally went out of fashion. Dresses in an antique style, made of light fabrics, without a pronounced waist, have become popular. However, historians note that ladies suffered from such fashions and died from pneumonia because the thin fabrics were often dampened to create beautiful frills.

However, corsets also did not completely go out of fashion and reached absurd levels - the waist reached 55 cm. Pampered and sophisticated ladies with an hourglass figure were extremely popular. The dresses were decorated with puffy sleeves, huge hats and long hemlines.

XX century

The last century gave us many canons of beauty - from boyish figures in the 20s to slender models in the 80s. A typical example of a sex symbol for the 20th century is the actress Marilyn Monroe and her body type.

Depending on the decade, the requirements for female beauty also changed. It seems that over the past hundred years they have changed many times, and very dramatically! In the 20s, ladies who received freedom and the right to vote began to experiment with trousers, stylish clothes and short haircuts. The golden era of Hollywood brought curvy hips and breasts with a thin waist, and in the 90s the sallowness and thinness returned.

Our days

In the modern world, it is difficult to single out any canon of beauty - fashion inexorably changes every year. Either thin models are popular, then girls with curvy figures, or body positivity. It seems that now it is easier for the fair sex to express their inner “I” with the help of clothes, cosmetics and countless various procedures.

Style/Beauty

How beauty standards have changed in different eras

beauty – a gift for several years.

Oscar Wilde

Each of us has heard the enthusiastic phrase addressed to us: “You are so beautiful!” We often ourselves said such compliments to friends or colleagues. For decades now, everyone has been striving for the coveted 90-60-90, chocolate tan and sensual lips, but in the last century this was considered an example of bad taste. But what do we mean by the word “beauty” now and what did our predecessors mean? If we were born a hundred years ago, would we be considered beauties then? To answer these questions, we turned to history, because female beauty has been valued at all times, but ideas about the ideal have undergone significant changes.

Concepts of beauty in Ancient Egypt largely coincided with modern views. A slender Egyptian woman with full lips and large almond-shaped eyes was considered beautiful. In this regard, residents Ancient Egypt They lined their eyes very brightly, giving them an exemplary shape, and painted their lips red. At that time, they were already using many cosmetics to achieve their goals. There are even known written works on cosmetics, for example, Cleopatra’s treatise “On Medicines for the Face.” Green color was especially popular in makeup, as it was considered the standard of beauty, and the dye itself was obtained from copper oxide. Ancient Egyptian women were great fashionistas, because scientists believe that they were the first to use mirrors, blush, fragrances and even wear translucent clothes. Prominent representatives of ancient Roman beauties are Cleopatra and Nefertiti.

For the image of a real beauty Ancient China it's impossible would be better suited The well-known phrase “Beauty requires sacrifice.” A tiny foot, a very small and fragile body, a white face, teeth with a hint of gold - this is exactly how the ancient Chinese imagined ideal female beauty. To meet the standard, from childhood girls had to endure the pain of having their feet wrapped in bandages. Once a week they were removed for a few minutes and tightened even more. Gradually the toes became bent and curled under the foot. This tradition originated first among the richest strata of society, and then was adopted by the middle class. Walking on such tiny legs was extremely difficult, and the noble beauty was always surrounded by several people to help her walk. Chinese women also paid great attention to their hair: it had to be very long and braided in a complex braid.

IN Ancient Rus' Hair was also considered the key to beauty. There was a belief that the longer the hair, the more spiritual powers a woman receives. Almost all women of that time braided their hair, and combing their hair was like a sacred ritual. According to various testimonies, Russian women were considered beauties only when they reached a weight of at least eighty kilograms! In Ancient Rus', fair skin and a bright blush were highly valued; we have seen such a description more than once in fairy tales known from childhood. In this regard, ancient Russian beauties used white for their faces, and often simply rubbed their cheeks with beets. Some women's preferences carry through the centuries, for example, the love of jewelry. Among the jewelry items, earrings, hryvnias, rings, rings, necklaces, and bracelets were widespread. They were distinguished by the extreme subtlety of the work of jewelry craftsmen.

IN Ancient Greece The image of an ideal woman was largely influenced by science and sports. The sculpture of the legendary Aphrodite was considered the standard of female beauty: her height is 164 cm, chest volume is 86 cm, waist – 69 cm, hips – 93 cm. The aphorism “Greek profile” that has come down to us implies a straight nose and large eyes. Above all, blue eyes, golden curls and light, shiny skin were valued. Greek beauties took very good care of their bodies, which were supposed to have soft and rounded shapes; they visited baths and took baths with herbs and aromatic oils. Just like in Ancient Greece, in Ancient Rome fair skin and blond hair were considered the ideal of beauty. In pursuit of the standard, the Romans learned to lighten their hair, used cream and milk for body care, and invented various ways hair curling

IN India Since ancient times, it has been believed that all the beauty of a woman is concentrated in her lush body, so Indian women have never specifically limited themselves in food intake. Women put quite bright makeup on their faces, gilded their lips and painted their teeth in Brown color. Their eyebrows and eyelashes had to be black and their nails red. Depending on the woman’s position in society, they decorated the earlobes: the higher the position, the larger and more massive the decorations. The national Indian clothing, the sari, was distinguished according to the same principle. Various henna designs were applied to areas of the body not covered with fabric. And even then, a well-known dot was applied between the two eyebrows - the bindi. It symbolizes the mystical third eye. As you noticed, the standard of female beauty and the view of a woman’s appearance in India has not changed dramatically for centuries.

In certain tribes Africa Since ancient times, perhaps the most unusual essential elements of beauty have existed. Women stretch out their earlobes, make holes in them and fill them with various beads, sticks, and wires. Although it looks creepy for a modern fashionista, it does not pose any serious harm to health. The same cannot be said about the traditions of Eastern Burma. Since childhood, copper rings have been placed around girls’ necks one after another. Due to this, with age, the neck height reaches 30-35 centimeters. All the rings together weigh more than ten kilograms, due to the constant heaviness, severe sagging of the chest occurs, the neck muscles atrophy greatly, and they are not able to hold their head up on their own. Beauty in certain regions of Africa is not only sacrificial, but also life-threatening!

In the early Middle Ages The image of a modern beautiful girl has undergone dramatic changes, primarily due to the influence of the church. Bodily beauty began to be perceived as a source of sins, so they began to cover blond hair with headdresses, and hide feminine figures behind loose-fitting dresses. The Virgin Mary, with her appearance and submissive character, became an ideal and role model. Pale skin, small lips, an emaciated body with long limbs - this is exactly the female image that excited the thoughts and imagination of men of the early Middle Ages. In the 13th century, with the emergence of chivalry, views on women began to change. Knights needed muses to perform feats, heroines who would conquer their hearts. The cult of the Beautiful Lady appears. They began to move from submission and rejection of excesses to magnificence. A slender body, wavy blonde hair, bright lips, narrow hips, small breasts and large feet - this is exactly what a princess should have been like for her knight.

Next chronologically Renaissance brought very big changes to the understanding of female beauty. Paleness and thinness disappear from the mandatory elements of attractiveness, and they are replaced by wide hips, a round face and full shoulders. The embodiment of the beauty of that time is captured in the brilliant works of Titian, Rembrandt, Rubens, and, of course, the well-known painting “Mona Lisa”. During the heyday of the Rococo era, special emphasis was placed on women's hairstyles. The principle worked here: the more magnificent and complex the design on the head, the better! Often, in order to maintain a complex and expensive hairstyle, fashionistas had to not wash or comb their hair for several weeks. At the same time, perfume comes into fashion to cover the odor emanating from the body.

IN early XIX century Josephine, the first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, was considered an exemplary beauty. She was a fan natural beauty, high waist in clothes made of thin fabrics, decorated with lace and frills. It was the Empire era, which brought beauty in the Greek sense back into fashion. The “hourglass” figure was considered ideal; therefore, over the course of several years, corsets, full skirts, and exposing the neck and décolleté area have come into fashion. Often dresses for social occasions weighed more than 20 kilograms! Also, secular beauties almost always wore gloves and carried an umbrella. Indeed, during this period, tanning was considered bad form, the lot of the lower class and villagers.

During the 20th century Views of female beauty changed very rapidly. At the beginning of the century, an athletic figure with broad shoulders, narrow hips, and small breasts was considered ideal. But by the 30s of the century the situation was taking the opposite direction. Wide hips and lush breasts become an example of femininity. At that time, Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo, then Marilyn Monroe and Gina Lollobrigida, were considered icons and absolute beauties. Their beauty drove millions of men crazy, and women tried very hard to be at least a little like their star idols.