Beauty: Illustrated Chiefly by an Analysis and Classification of Beauty in WomanWalker, Alexander
Philosophy
Beauty: Illustrated Chiefly by an Analysis and Classification of Beauty in Woman
Walker, Alexander
Beauty, Personal; Women
When it is the fault of a face to contain too much blue, then blue around
the face is used to remove it by contrast, and to cause the yellow and red
to predominate.
When it is the fault of a face to contain too much yellow and red, then
orange is used.
When it is the fault of a face to contain too much red and blue, then
purple is used.
When it is the fault of a face to contain too much blue and yellow, then
green is used.
It is necessary to observe that the linings of bonnets reflect their color
on the face, and transparent bonnets transmit that color, and equally
tinge it. In both these cases, the color employed is no longer that which
is placed around the face, and which acts on it by contrast, but the
opposite. As green around the face heightens a faint red in the cheeks by
contrast, so the pink lining of the bonnet aids it by reflection.
Hence linings which reflect, are generally of the teint which is wanted in
the face; and care is then taken that these linings do not come into the
direct view of the observer, and operate prejudicially on the face by
contrast, overpowering the little color which by reflection they should
heighten. The fronts of bonnets so lined, therefore, do not widen greatly
forward, and bring their color into contrast.
When bonnets do widen, the proper contrast is used as a lining; but then
it has not a surface much adapted for reflection, otherwise it may
perform that office, and injure the complexion.
Understanding, then, the application of these colors in a general way, it
may be noticed, that fair faces are by contrast best acted on by light
colors, and dark faces by darker colors.
Dark faces are best affected by darker colors, evidently because they tend
to render the complexion fairer; and fair faces do not require dark
colors, because the opposition would be too strong.
Objects which constitute a background to the face, or which, on the
contrary, reflect their hues upon it, always either improve or injure the
complexion. For this and some other reasons, many persons look better at
home in their apartments than in the streets. Apartments may, indeed, be
peculiarly calculated to improve individual complexions.
_External Indications of Mind._
External indications as to mind may be derived from figure, from gait, and
from dress.
As to figure, a certain symmetry or disproportion of parts (either of
which depends immediately upon the locomotive system)--or a certain
softness or hardness of form (which belongs exclusively to the vital
system)--or a certain delicacy or coarseness of outline (which belongs
exclusively to the mental system)--these reciprocally denote a locomotive
symmetry or disproportion--or a vital softness or hardness--or a mental
delicacy or coarseness, which will be found also indicated by the
features of the face.
These qualities are marked in pairs, as each belonging to its respective
system; for, without this, there can be no accurate or useful observation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account