400 Years of Women’s Quest for Beauty
I was excited to visit The Cult of Beauty exhibition at the Wellcome Collection (26 October–28 April 2024) wellcomecollection.org/exhibitions/ZJ1zCxAAACMAczPA. It covers many of the themes in my latest book, Perfection: 400 Years of Women’s Quest for Beauty, published by Yale in September 2024.
Of course, I did worry that the exhibition might cover everything I say in the book. And certainly the exhibition explores concepts of beauty beyond simple binaries, and celebrates what it means for different communities. It does look at hygiene, dieting, politics and the beauty industry. It references ancient Egypt and Barbie dolls. And it has some wonderful objects.
I was particularly taken by an Egyptian stone slab with seven holes for cosmetic ointments. Though I wish the curators had thought to translate the hieroglyphics explaining what should go into each compartment!
And the exhibition brings home women’s early role in preparing remedies and beauty treatments. It’s rarely appreciated that women were often skilled enough to practise as apothecaries. One painting shows a seventeenth-century woman working in a pharmacy.
But, wonderful though the exhibition is, I came away thinking that I’m able to treat the subject in greater depth in my book. I’m hoping the show simply whets the appetite for more!
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum