BEAUTY Illustrated by an Analysis and Classification of BEAUTY IN WOMAN, with A Critical View of the Hypotheses of Hume, Hogarth, Burke, Knight, Alison, etc. And of The Hypotheses of Beauty in Sculpture and Painting,by Leonardo Da Vinci, Winckelmann, Mengs, Bossi, etc.
BY ALEXANDER WALKER. Illustrated by Drawings from Life BY HENRY HOWARD, Professor of Paintings to the Royal Academy; Drawn on stone by M.Gauci and R.J.Lane, A.R.A.
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An interesting book because it describes 19th century ideals of beauty was written by Alexander Walker in 1840, Beauty Illustrated Chiefly by an Analysis and Classification of Beauty in Woman.
Beauty; Illustrated Chiefly by an Analysis and Classification of Beauty in Woman Preceded by a Critical View of the General Hypotheses Respecting Beauty, by Hume, Hogarth, Burke, Knight, Alison, &c. And Followed by A Similar View of the Hypotheses of Beauty in Sculpture and Painting, by Leonardo da Vinci, Winckelmann, Mengs, Bossi, &c.
By Alexander Walker, Author of "Physiognomy Founded on Physiology," the Nervous System," &c.
Illustrated by 24 Steel Engravings from Drawings from Life, by Henry Howard, Professor of Painting to the Royal Academy.
From the book:
There is perhaps no subject more universally or more deeply interesting than that which is the chief subject of the present work. Yet no book, even pretending to science or accuracy, has hitherto appeared upon it. The forms and proportions of animals—as of the horse and the dog—have been examined in a hundred volumes : not one has been devoted to woman, on whose physical and moral qualities the happiness of individuals, and the perpetual improvement of the human race, are dependant.
The cause of this has been, probably, the neglect on the part of individuals, to combine anatomical and physiological knowledge with the critical observation of the external forms of woman; and, perhaps, some repugnance to anthropological knowledge on the part of the public. The last obstacle, if ever it existed, is now gone by, as many circumstances show; and it will be the business of the author, in this work, to endeavor to obviate the former.
The present work, beside giving new views of the theory of beauty, and of its application to the arts, presents an analysis and classification of beauty in woman. A subsequent work will apply the principles here established to intermarriages and .crossings among mankind, and will explain their results in relation to the happiness of individuals, and to the beauty and the freedom from insanity of their offspring. A final work will examine the relations of woman in society, will expose the extravagant hypothesis of writers on this subject who have been ignorant of anthropology, and will describe the reforms which the common interests of mankind demand in this respect.
An online version is available at Google Books.
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Wikipedia article.More posts on the Greek ideal of beauty.
BEAUTY; ILLUSTRATED CHIEFLY BY AN ANALYSIS AND CLASSIFICATION OF BEAUTY IN WOMAN
Beauty; Illustrated Chiefly By an Analysis and Classification of Beauty in Women. Preceded By a Critical View of the General Hypothesis Respecting Beauty, By Hume, Hogarth, Burke, Knight, Alison, Etc., and Followed By ...
Beauty, Illustrated By an Analysis and Classification of Beauty in Woman, with...
Beauty Analysis and Classification of Beauty in Woman
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A contemporary review from The Literary Gazette.
Beauty ; illustrated chiefly by an Analysis and Classification of Beauty in Woman. By Alexander Walker, Author of " Physiognomy founded on Physiology," " The Nervous System," &c. Illustrated by Draw, ings from Life, by Henry Howard, Professor of Painting to the Royal Academy; drawn on stone, by M. Oaticl and R. J. Lane, A.R.A. 8vo. pp. 395. London, 183G. Effingham Wilson. If ever writer chose an attractive theme, Mr. Walker is certainly that writer. " There Is, perhaps, no subject," he observes, In his Intro, auction, " more universally or more deeply interesting than that which is the chief subject of the present work. Yet no book, even pretending to science or accuracy, has hitherto appeared upon it. The forms and proportions of animals —as of the horse and of the dog, have been examined in a hundred volumes. Not one has been devoted to woman, on whose physical and moral qualities the happiness of individuals and the perpetual improvement of the human race are dependent. The cause of this has been, probably, the neglect, on the part of Individuals, to combine anatomical and physiological knowledge with the critical observation of the ex. ternal forms of woman ; and, perhaps, some repugnance to anthropological knowledge on the part of the public. The last obstacle, if ever it existed, is now gone by, as many circumstances shew ; and it will be the business of the author, in this work, to endeavour to obviate the former. The present work, be. sides giving new views of the theory of beauty, and of its application to the arts, presents at analysis and classification of beauty in woman A subsequent work will apply the principles here established to intermarriages and crossings among mankind, and will explain their results in relation to the happiness of individuals, anc to the beauty and the freedom from insanity of their offspring. A final work will examine the relations of woman in society, will expose the extravagant hypotheses of writers on this subject who have been ignorant of anthropology, and will describe the reforms which the common interests of mankind demand in this respect."
The earlier chapters of the volume are devoted, principally, to disquisitions on the nature nf beauty generally ; on the standard of taste in beauty ; on the elements of beauty — in inanimate being«, in living beings, in thmkinf beings ; on the elements of beauty as employee in objects of art ; on the beauty of useful, о ornamental, and of intellectual objects.
" I have shewn," says Mr. Walker, in the ' (inclusion of this part of his work, " that there exist elements of beauty equally invariable in themselves, and in the kind of effect they produce upon the mind ; that these elements are modified, varied, and complicated, as we advance from the most simple to the most complex class of natural beings, or of the arts which relate to these respectively ; that the elements of beauty in inanimate beings consist n the simplicity, regularity, uniformity, proportion, order, A.c., of those geometrical forms which are so intimately connected with mere existence ; that the elements of beauty in living wings, consist in adding to the preceding the delicacy, bending, variety, contrast, &c., which are connected with growth and reproduction ; that the elements of beauty in thinking beings consist in adding to the preceding the symmetry, proportion, &c., which are connected with fitness for sense, thought, and motion; that the elements of beauty in the objects of useful art, consist in the same simplicity, rerularity, uniformity, proportion, order, Ac, of geometrical forms which belong to Inanimate leings; that the element) of beauty in the objects of orniimental art consist in the same delicacy, bending, variety, contrast, &c., which belong to living beings ; and that the elements of beauty in the objects of intellectual art consist in thinking forms, In gesture, sculpture, and painting, or In functions of mind actually exercised, In oratory, poetry, and music."
The author then proceeds to the main object which he has in view ; namely, to treat of the causes and the standard of beauty In woman. He divides female beauty into three species,— the beauty of the locomotive system, the beauty of the nutritive or vital system, and the beauty of the thinking system; and describes the peculiar qualities which distinguish each. The subject is a delicate one. It would be impos. sible (especially in the absence of all graphic illustrations) to render it intelligible without quotations, the length of which Is not our only reason for preferring to refer our readers to the volume itself, in which they will find a vast fund of original, profound, acute, curious, and amusing observation; highly interesting to all, but especially to the connoisseur and the artist.
Chapters on the Greek Ideal Beauty, on the Ideal of Female Beauty, and on the Defects of Beauty, conclude the work.
The plates are twenty-two in number. Some of them are rather severely criticised by Mr. Walker himself.
How Is it that a man of the author's evident taste and judgment could permit himself to deform his book by the occasional introduction of politics ?
Beauty: illustrated chiefly by an analysis and classification of beauty in women at Google Books.
Beauty: Illustrated Chiefly by an Analysis and Classification of Beauty in Women
Beauty; Illustrated Chiefly By an Analysis and Classification of Beauty in Women ... By Hume, Hogarth, Burke, Knight, Alison, Etc. Illustrated By Drawings from Life By Henry Howard, Professor of Painting to the Royal Academy
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