Femmes--Europe--Mœurs et coutumes--16e siècle
Women--Europe--Social life and customs--16th century
Beauty culture--Europe--History--16th century
Cosmetics--Europe--History--16th century
Cosmétiques--Europe--Histoire--16e siècle
"Beauty, make up, art, power: an alternative history of the Renaissance told by the women behind the paintings. Can the pressures women feel to look good be traced to the 16th century? As the Renaissance visual world became populated by female nudes by the likes of Michelangelo and Titian, a vibrant literary scene of beauty tips emerged--fuelling debates about cosmetics and adornment, with 'solutions' to worries about everything from podgy upper arms, smelly armpits, droopy breasts, stretch marks and bad breath. Telling the stories of courtesans, artists, actors and writers rebelling against the strictures of their time, when burgeoning colonialism gave rise to increasingly sinister evaluations of bodies and skin colour, this book puts beauty culture into the frame. It will make you question your ideas about your own body, and ask: why are women often so critical of their appearance? What do we stand to lose, but also to gain, from beauty culture? What is the relationship between looks and power?"-- Provided by publisher.
"Plunge into the intimate history of cosmetics, and discover how, for centuries, women have turned to make-up as a rich source of creativity, community and resistance. The Renaissance was an era obsessed with appearances. Beauty culture has left traces that give us a window into an overlooked realm of history--revealing everything from 16th-century women's body anxieties to their sophisticated botanical and chemical knowledge. How to Be a Renaissance Woman allows us to glimpse the world of the female artists, artisans and businesswomen carving out space for themselves, as well as those who gained power and influence in the cut-throat world of the court. In a vivid exploration women's lives, Professor Jill Burke invites us to rediscover historical cosmetic recipes and unpack the origins of the beauty ideals that are still with us today."-- On dust jacket.
How to be a Renaissance woman: the untold history of beauty and female creativity
Introduction -- Part one. Beauty ideals -- 1. Venus and the fruit seller -- 2. What is a (renaissance) woman? -- 3. Sprezzatura and the natural look -- Part two. Judgement -- 4. Was renaissance beauty culture oppressive or empowering? -- 5. Beauty tips for brides -- 6. Whiteface -- Part three. Renaissance bodywork -- 7. Getting in shape -- 8. Breast bags, nose jobs and labiaplasty -- 9. Witch hunts and body hair -- Part four. Power (un)dressing -- 10. Beauty's dangerous paths -- 11. Nakedness and the power of the gaze -- 12. Rebellious hair -- Part five. Communities of knowledge -- 13. Poison and the patriarchy -- 14. What renaissance women knew -- 15. How to be a renaissance woman: the recipes.