The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-08-04
The Perfect Woman From
Greek and Modern Standards

THE perfect woman. nc5ly
planned" o. the poet differs
somewhat from that of the artist.
inasmuch IS she s. mot too
bright AM good Tor human natures
daily food"
but the perreet woman OF the artist
is sometimes d very impossible creature.
and 10 ordinary eyes ~ least very llr
removed from perfection. either in face
OF form
Il has been said. however, that every
painter observes beautiful woman
through a specs "a spiritual lens of his
own and Dc is doubtless tr-e J--ar I'D the
majority OF cases The aItLs- Ideal IS
evolved from his u-rlla4lty Tor one par
LicLlar woman
IRON tie artistic point OF view. the
perfect tgua has varied ia Az ages and
we know how very different az tAs
feet women portrayed by artists ~ our
own day- from the moJels of Burnc-
Jones TO the ellison glrl' there Is. q
wide difference
Perfection and prettLnCss f. Is said,
rarely go together. Sir edward EosN-
ter among ou- Dresent-l1y artists. en-
Joys the distinction OF being the ollS
painter OF really perfect women pore
painting. by fae way, q E-o-o 80
Francesca 2 medical man once told the
writer. was the best painting or an
auatomically perfect woman he Knew
The following. however. are the meas
uremsn-s usually considered py arlslS
as those OF perfect woman
The Egyptians took the middle niger
as the standard o. measurement t1-s
being reck0ned as about ol5-ulneteeIit-l
OF the height
According 20 the square Of the an
clients" the span OF the arms should
equal that Of The height from ml1die
finger 10 middle finger, and this Is about
the accepted standard today.
II we take the Greek measurement
the perfect woman should be eight
heads high and she should not have too
small a waist. The elbows shouts reach
the hips. the hand should be the length
Of the face. the arms when outstretc1ed
should be the same as the height OF tle
body. Narrow shoulders and wide hips
were the Greek ideas of feminine beauty
but the modern woman has diverted her
shoulders and chest To the benefit OF
her health
The head is generally reckoned in the
old Greek way as about ore-eighth u
the height. bat this only applies TO tail
people. The following proportions. how
ever. are given by q German scientist.
who has made a study OF wOmen's
beauty OF all nations. and these differ
sliVhtly rom the Greek standard:
"The height should be seven and a
half times the length OF the head ten
times the length OF The face. nine times
the length OF The hand. and the leg four
times the length OF the head. The shoul-
ders should be two heads wide. and.
when standing erect perfectly formed
legs should touch at the knees. the
calves and the ankles
IT. addition 10 these We have the fol-
lowing meosUrcr0ents. which artists gen
0railv recognize ne q standard Of Hequfv.
The stretch of the th6rlb and middle Hr-
ger should measure the length 90 rh.
face the thumbs and same fingers
should enciroln the neck. Will. the
thumb and middle fnger should fust 20
round the wrist.
The arm. hanging down. shov,a reach
exactly bale w7v down the side. and The
foot. which should be well arcbel.
should 20 ab0Ut six and One-thirI times
that 0f the height.
Such are the NEE SureuCutS ana -,~o-
portions. hut there are other noints
which 60 20 mako un feminine nerreo-
tio0. The hair should be J0nr and Ink
r-iant and more or less glossy. though
wa'-v hair he's ire admirers. The .sves
should be full l1rge. clear and we'll scr
In rhe he1d and OF good color
The evefe shes should he lone and fbD
hrows vol marked Tho mouth ehould
he well shaDed, neither too. large nor +o,
small tho 1inS red and ueitNe- too frU
nor too thin Shapeliness OF bodv.
rounded limbs and weiI-fOrmed hands
are. ~ $50 neccssarv factors in the sur.. Il
feminine perfection.