New-York tribune., 1903-02-06

whose beauty challenges the whole world with
aosolute assurance. ass Ihey may oe typical on1y OF
art of Its day and held it captive They found
known to immortalze them and il is fortunate FOR
English women that the women whom Reynolds
resentatives Of typical English Beauty The Dacs-
Sss OF psvonshlre; LADY spencer Lady Iavistocs =
the three beautiful sheridahs. Kitty Fisher. Mrs
berland are women whom any painter must have
e~xuitec ~ IN painting Tor they possessed a beauty
gainsay.
nifed pictures by Lawrence the beauty or the
power of reproducing 1t. seems to have disappeared
last century and Of the early Victorian era. but
nifty and beauty Of their predecessors. There l.
a mawkishness. a senttmentalty bread
that in existence. and energies
a TlJh sn If % fb eee5 bsa to Of t f oJ s9
short there is certainly a return 30 the pictu-
always be more difficuIt to paint than a man tor
beauty is so dependent on expression while color.
charm and many nameless attributes which con-
tribute to the perfection Of the ensemble. as well
day. cannot fail either 70 improve or detract from
the artists power Of making beautiful picture
the question of the degree of beauty OF any age
country, and that IS the influence that fashion
have either TO increase diminish it's effect.
and the painters Of beautiful women have had
great ally in the pcturesqueness variety OF the
fashions in clothes and IT. the coiffure. The flow
ing wigs. the gorgeous brocades and satins Of the
jewels and pearls. az once added richness and
lets of the days Of the women whom Gains
Itself quite Impossible net to render Justice 70.
Mo Mho could % make Duchess OF Devonshire any
lovely blue gown and her soft draperies7
that day II Is impossible to exaggerate for though
bsb the Osauty Of the n they Pantsd ted f
fashion Of th5 t;a.s, ana - .. owe IN a great
women Of the eighteenth century The women Of
our day have not deteriorated or lost the charm
but there is not the same beauty in the early
Victorian era. and IL is. we believe. because ths
the highest degree The long waists the crino,
have ruined the beauty OF Venus, while the
ringlets. the bandeaux and chignons utterly de-
the hair which covered it The Old saying.
Beauty unadorned is surely out OF date; tg- for:
criticism is independent of any Of the adventurous
looks which Is not in so unassaiable a position
and the beauty Of period is enhanced or spoiled
of the early Victorian era are an example;
~, me veteran 20 & fds1o9s ions became Hogeo sg D
idiosyncrasies Of fifty years ago disappeared, and
meTs I matter of ndTi taste Ther is not
the same slavsh adherence TO the prevailing fash
ION and. while the style and idea are followed.
there are many means Of adapting il to each
the DAYS Of Reynolds and Gainsborough have re-
gained their sway. and the cheapness Of materials
an to make the most OF the beauty the gods have
Iish race has improved so much as that the proc
OF setting it in becoming frame has nads
many more lovely pictures The dress OF worn-
in the middle and lower classes fifty years ago
cheap. ugly and unbeconfng. To-day the
seen everywhere belong &c no particular class or
set. The domestic servant. when out in her Sunday
best is quite as well dressed and pretty as her
mistress. and the whole standard has risen and
improved from the DictureSqueness and variety or
fashion 1t Is. perhaps. easy TO carry this theory
to a straining point. but surely main
tain that a woman is ever quite independent OF
the advantages which becoming fashions bestow
on her. There Is beauty great. absolute,
as not to be enhanced by the framework in which
It is set. and the lovely women OF every age owe
some Of their charm to the background in which
they stand.-(The Ladies' Field