Synopses & Reviews
Throughout the history of the Western world, countless attempts have been made to define beauty in art and life, especially with regard to women's bodies and faces.
Facing Beauty examines concepts of female beauty in terms of the ideal and the real, investigating paradigms of beauty as represented in art and literature and how beauty has been enhanced by cosmetics and hairstyles.and#160;
This thought-provoking book discusses the shifting perceptions of female beauty, concentrating on the period from about 1540 to 1940. It begins with the Renaissance, when a renewed emphasis on the individual was reflected in the celebration of beauty in the portraits of the day. The fluid, sensual lines of the Baroque period initiated a shift toward a more "natural" look, giving way in the 18th century to a more stylized and artificial face, a mask of ideal beauty. By the late 19th century, commercial beauty preparations had become more readily available, leading to new technological developments within the beauty industry in the early 20th century. Beauty salons and the wider availability of cosmetics revolutionized the way women saw themselves.and#160;
Ravishing images of some of the most beautiful women in history, both real and ideal, accompanied by illustrations from costume books, fashion plates, advertisements, caricatures, and cosmetics, bring the evolving story of beauty to life.
Review
“Ribeiro presents a banquet of fascinating images . . . and her book is not to be put down lightly. Recommended.”
Library Journal -- Farah Griffin
Review
“Aileen Ribeiro discusses the use of color, accessories … fashion trends and the many details that make this book stunning.”
History Magazine -- Library Journal
Review
"[A] work of meticulous historical and cultural scholarship . . . full of gorgeous prints, history, and incisive and often humorous commentary."and#8212;Stephanie Barner, MAKE
Review
"[Ribeiro] provides a wealth of information . . . Her analysis of the images not only provides an engaging commentary on the ideals and social customs illustrated by the artwork, but also makes accessible to a general audience the philosophical concepts informing the diverse notions of beauty that developed."and#8212;D.H. Cibelli, Choice
Review
"Inspired images of some of the most beautiful women in history, both real and ideal, accompanied by illustrations from costume books, fashion plates, advertisements, caricatures, and cosmetics, bring the evolving story of beauty to life. Facing Beauty is an essential reference for anyone invested in the beauty industry."and#8212;Shine Dharan, Stylesight
Synopsis
This wide-ranging survey, spanning four centuries, illuminates shifting perceptions of female beauty through works of art and the evolution of cosmetics
Throughout the history of the Western world, countless attempts have been made to define beauty in art and life, especially with regard to women's bodies and faces. Facing Beauty examines concepts of female beauty in terms of the ideal and the real, investigating paradigms of beauty as represented in art and literature and how beauty has been enhanced by cosmetics and hairstyles.
This thought-provoking book discusses the shifting perceptions of female beauty, concentrating on the period from about 1540 to 1940. It begins with the Renaissance, when a renewed emphasis on the individual was reflected in the celebration of beauty in the portraits of the day. The fluid, sensual lines of the Baroque period initiated a shift toward a more "natural" look, giving way in the 18th century to a more stylized and artificial face, a mask of ideal beauty. By the late 19th century, commercial beauty preparations had become more readily available, leading to new technological developments within the beauty industry in the early 20th century. Beauty salons and the wider availability of cosmetics revolutionized the way women saw themselves.
Ravishing images of some of the most beautiful women in history, both real and ideal, accompanied by illustrations from costume books, fashion plates, advertisements, caricatures, and cosmetics, bring the evolving story of beauty to life.
Synopsis
Relatively few garments survive from before the eighteenth century, and the history of costume in the preceding centuries must therefore rely to a great extent on literary and visual evidence. This book, the first of its kind, examines Stuart England through the mirror of dress. It argues that both artistic and literary sources can be read and decoded for important information on dress and the way it was perceived in a period of immense political, social, and cultural change.
Focusing on the rich visual culture of the seventeenth century, including portraits, engravings, fashion plates, and sculpture, and on literary sourcespoetry, drama, essays, sermonsthe distinguished historian of dress Aileen Ribeiro creates a fascinating account of Stuart dress and how it both reflected and influenced society. Supported by a wealth of illustrative images, she explores such varied themes as court costumes, the masque, the ways in which political and religious ideologies could be expressed in dress, and the importance of London as a fashion center. This beautiful book is an indispensable and authoritative account of what people wore and how it related to Stuart Englands cultural climate.
Synopsis
This wide-ranging survey, spanning four centuries, illuminates shifting perceptions of female beauty through works of art and the evolution of cosmetics
About the Author
Aileen Ribeiro is professor of history of art and lectures on the history of dress at the Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London. She is the author of numerous books, including The Art of Dress: Fashion in England and France, 17501820; Ingres in Fashion: Representations of Dress and Appearance in Ingress Images of Women; and Dress in Eighteenth-Century Europe, 17151789, all published by Yale University Press.