One is lulled into thinking that these contorted bathers are mere exercises in the handling of pastel, and not the work of, in the poet Paul Valery's words, a supremely cruel authority on female contours and poses.
One could think that a cruel authority of female contours is a positive thing. 
mnli hypothesis: One could think that a cruel authority of female contours is a positive thing.  premise: One is lulled into thinking that these contorted bathers are mere exercises in the handling of pastel, and not the work of, in the poet Paul Valery's words, a supremely cruel authority on female contours and poses.