13 January 2010

Devastating Beauty IV : the Cast of Beauties


It is a fascinating discussion this week about Devastating Beauty- Indeed, as many of the remarks reflect-Beauty is STILL in the eye of the beholder. 

from Shakespeare's Love's Labours Lost, 1588:

Good Lord Boyet, my beauty, though but mean,
 Needs not the painted flourish of your praise:

Beauty is bought by judgement of the eye,
 Not utter'd by base sale of chapmen's tongues.



Here is the entire LIST of NAMES the esteemed Panel came up with. 

As mentioned, there is some consensus among the 14 AESTHETES- But you can weigh in too-Please. Some of the BEAUTIES have been introduced in the previous three BEAUTY posts, Some You will know by name and easily conjure up their image, Others Not so much. These-for me are the fascinating ones.



.THE CAST
of
DEVASTATING BEAUTY
 in no particular order-

THE SOCIALITES

DAPHNE GUINNESS
MARELLA AGNELLI
ANNETTE DE LA RENTA
NANCY KISSINGER
LEE RADZIWILL
LADY DIANA COOPER
RITA LYDIG
JENNIE JEROME CHURCHILL
CHESSY RAYNER*appears in another category
BARONESS PAULINE DE ROTHSCHILD
PAULA GELLIBRAND,THE MARQUESA DE CASA MAURY
MONA VON BISMARK
LOUISE DE VILMORIN
MADAME WELLINGTON KOO



THE MODELS

DOVIMA
DONYALE LUNA
CAPUCINE
WILHELMINA
TINA CHOW
 JEAN SHRIMPTON
CHINA MACADO
MARISA BERENSON
CARMEN
NATI ABASCAL
STEPHANIE SEYMOUR
INES DE LA FRESSANGE* appears in another category
ISABELLA ROSSELLINI* appears in another category
CHRISTY TURLINGTON
The Cigarette Smokers


THE ROYALS 

THE MAHARANI OF BARODA
PRINCESS MARGARET
HER SERENE HIGHNESS PRINCESS GRACE OF MONACO
PRINCESS DIANA OF WALES
QUEEN FOUZIEH FAWZIA
PRINCESS ELIZABETH OF TORO
QUEEN ELIZABETH


THE ARTISTS

  THE WRITERS
EDITH SITWELL
VIRGINIA WOOLF
LESLIE BLANCH
ISABEL NASH EBERSTADT
THE PAINTERS
GEORGIA O'KEEFFE
SETSUKO IDETA
THE DANCERS
MARTHA GRAHAM
ISADORA DUNCAN
MAYA PLISETSKAYA
THE SINGERS
DALIDA
NICO
NINA SIMONE
JESSEY NORMAN
LENA HORNE
KD LANG
SADE
ERYKA BADU

THE MUSES

LEE MILLER* appears in another category
NATALIE BARNEY
OLGA DE MEYER
NUSCH ELUARD
EVELYN NESBIT
RENEE PERLE
ZELDA FITZGERALD
DIANA MITFORD
ISABELLA BLOW
EDIE SEDGWICK
ELIETTE VON KARAJAN
LOULOU DE LA FALAISE* appears in another category
ANNA PIAGGI


THE MEN

  GREGORY PECK
RUDOLPH NUREYEV
PAUL NEWMAN
STEPHEN TENNANT
CECIL BEATON
GARY COOPER
MARLON BRANDO-in STREETCAR
JOE DALLASANDRO in HEAT

THE DESIGNERS
  FASHION
COCO CHANEL
LOULOU DE LA FALAISE*appears in another category
INES DE LA FRASSANGE*appears in another category
 INTERIOR DESIGN
CHESSY RAYNER*appears in another category



&
A VERY LONG LIST OF ACTRESSES
 THE LEGENDS
BETTY DAVIS
DELORES DEL RIO
 HEDY LAMARR
CAROLE LOMBARD
MERLE OBERON
LOUISE BROOKS
GENE TIERNEY
DOROTHY DANDRIDGE
GRETA GARBO
TALLULAH BANKHEAD
AUDREY HEPBURN
JEAN SEBERG
ROMY SCHNEIDER
KATHERINE HEPBURN
MARILYN MONROE
BETTY GRABLE
LANA TURNER
RITA HAYWORTH
AVA GARDNER
MARLENE DIETRICH
JOAN CRAWFORD
KAY KENDALL
MARIA FELIX
 &
ANNE BANCROFT as Mrs Robinson
FLORINDA BOLKAN 
ELIZABETH TAYLOR
SOPHIA LOREN
DORIS DAY
JOAN CHEN
GONG LI
CHARLOTTE RAMPLING
NATASSJA KINSKI
TILDA SWINTON
CATHERINE DENEUVE
VANESSA WILLIAMS
ISABELLA ROSSELLINI* appears in another category
.
OVERWHELMING NO? It seems so- but do give me absolute favourites and hopefully together we can come up with a DEVASTATING LIST.


LIMIT your selections to 10- from the LIST only. do some research over the next few days and I will be posting  more images Friday if you are still pondering. Enjoy- and pop back in to read the COMMENTARY-that is where it gets interesting. We have unearthed a Diana Cooper story during her days as an actress, an encounter with the ethereal Tina Chow by a reader, a Paul Newman spotting and so many Insights that enrich the series inordinately.
.


Labels:

30 comments:

  1. Reggie DarlingJanuary 13, 2010 at 1:30 AM

    My dear, but you have been busy! Great work, and quite the undertaking, indeed.

    In quickly reviewing am somewhat surprised to see Nancy Kissinger, Annette De La Renta, Chessy Raynor, KD Lang, and the Queen of England on these lists. While Mrs. Kissinger is handsome in a rather "horsey" way I am afraid Mrs. De La Renta is barely jolie laide, more noteworthy for a lovely personality than her features. Chessy Raynor always struck me as odd-looking, and while I am a great fan of Ms. Lang I am confused to see her on this list altogether. With all great respect, the Queen of England has never been what I consider a beauty, whereas her sister was devastating in her youth.

    Names conspicuously absent include Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Cary Grant, both of whom are icons of elegance and beauty. Also Diana Moseley, the loveliest of the Mitfords. Furthermore I'd add Suzy Parker and Shalom Harlow to the list of models, and Julie London to the list of singers. While some may consider it a stretch I think Candace Bergen when young was one of the loveliest of actresses, and John Gavin merits consideration as well.

    Thanks for your efforts here, and for those of your contributors, they are greatly appreciated by those of us in Bloglandia.

    ReplyDelete
  2. MarnieJanuary 13, 2010 at 7:07 AM

    and ingrid bergman

    ReplyDelete
  3. P.Gaye Tapp at Little AuguryJanuary 13, 2010 at 7:56 AM

    Reggie Darling, yes this was a huge amount of work to be honest and it's rewarding to get the comments. I asked bloggers who know and write about these women-so acceptance of their names is key, I did not edit-and though a number of people named more than 10 -I, personally- named 11. It would have been imprudent to toss names that did not meet my personal standards willy nilly. That said Beauty is indeed in the eye of the Beholder.
    Diana Moseley IS on the list as Diana Mitford.
    I suspect another thing the ladies mentioned possess in spades is tough skin,after having their photographs everywhere since they were young women.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Reggie DarlingJanuary 13, 2010 at 8:01 AM

    LA: My sincere apologies for missing Diana Moseley (nee Mitford), in my hurry to put my "two cents" in. Again, thank you for the slavish work required on this job, and I understand that you are but the conduit for your contributors' views...

    Great series!

    ReplyDelete
  5. P.Gaye Tapp at Little AuguryJanuary 13, 2010 at 8:03 AM

    Personally- I adore Chessy Rayner's looks.
    Continue to return and see more comments.

    Marnie-yes, Ingrid was truly beautiful, Isabella maybe a small consulation?

    Reggie-yes Shalom Harlow is beautiful. I think Vogue did her up as Ava Gardner and the results were stunning. I found it harder to consider some of the younger beauties out their everywhere today. Cary Grant would have been a terrific addition. Elegance personified. In that vein Rock Hudson-devastating beauty on all levels certainly. Now I think about him more indepth-Sorry I did not select him.
    Yes Suzy Parker is stellar and the same goes for Julie London-though again other factors come into consideration with her that sultry incredible voice-one of my favourites. pgt

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousJanuary 13, 2010 at 8:10 AM

    God in heaven woman, la has been busy . applause applause. I am for whatever AAL said. He does set the standard. I liked his phrasing about beauty and his consideration of the unusual in his initial comments about the selection process.

    ReplyDelete
  7. P.Gaye Tapp at Little AuguryJanuary 13, 2010 at 9:25 AM

    Maison-So interesting these 2 names were submitted by One of the panel and the only 2 at that- You two must see things quite similarly!

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousJanuary 13, 2010 at 9:30 AM

    Dear.Much work did go into this. Of course you know I love Hedy Lamar and Carole Lombard. My era and all that and I do love Princess Grace. BCT

    ReplyDelete
  9. Rose C'est La VieJanuary 13, 2010 at 10:36 AM

    Ok Reggie Darling, hands up to choosing Queen Elizabeth, kd Lang and Katharine Hepburn, the latter for her love of trousers.

    To be honest, I got a bit bored trawling through the fabled beauties in my mind and if I didn't know enough about them, they didn't score. That doesn't mean that the Queen and kd had to be dredged up from the bottom of the bucket; not at all. I chose Queen Elizabeth for her skin, her sapphire eyes and her world-beating smile that is, I agree, rationed. For me character is part of beauty and you must see archive film of her youthful high spirits. Enchanting.

    kd Lang is no goddess but her strength, serenity and androgyny is a devastating package. Another great smile there too.

    These particular choices of mine lack hauteur.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Rose C'est La VieJanuary 13, 2010 at 10:42 AM

    la, I forgot to congratulate on your massive opus - a taxonomy of the Beautiful People. The fact it is so subjective makes it the more riveting.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Regina JoiJanuary 13, 2010 at 12:21 PM

    I find that Diana, Lady Mosley, was THE Mitford of Beauty...for that reason she was the muse for many a painter from Boldini, Helleu and Sem to Augustus St. John and onwards. Her little Pavilion ~ 'Temple de la Gloire' where she lived until the end was the epitome of chic elegance and a folly of the Directoire period outside of Paris.

    I fear her love for Daphne would be tried by her recent 'image'...for she resembles her grandmother in her last years, beautiful but old...too painfully thin and bird like, and the hair is too frightful Cruella Deville. Sometimes, Beauty DOES take a turn for the worse. She does not need to be the ULTIMATE fashion victim, no matter what age...she was taught to age gracefully as her grandmother did, who by the way still lived A VERY CONTROVERSIAL LIFE, from Castles to Jail as one of the most reviled women of WW2.

    Here's to hoping she puts her glasses on and gets ahold of her Beauty with GRACE.

    ReplyDelete
  12. studioJudithJanuary 13, 2010 at 12:46 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  13. AnonymousJanuary 13, 2010 at 3:01 PM

    reggie darling:
    ADLR:

    http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eidvs80_01o/StOuhsyZX3I/AAAAAAAAJ50/J7POM5MZNJw/s1600-h/reed.JPG

    rather beautiful, wouldn't you think?

    ReplyDelete
  14. P.Gaye Tapp at Little AuguryJanuary 13, 2010 at 3:46 PM

    Rose-yes that's why indeed. this has been so interesting. There are some beautiful photographs of the Queen all over the internet, I am sure-Cecil Beaton took some glorious photographs didn't He?

    ReplyDelete
  15. P.Gaye Tapp at Little AuguryJanuary 13, 2010 at 4:00 PM

    Anon, thanks for the beautiful ADLR photograph I always think of the one picture in Horst book for Vogue! Beautiful, poised beyond.

    ReplyDelete
  16. lindaraxaJanuary 13, 2010 at 8:50 PM

    okay, i have to agree with Reggie's nixes, i'm afraid all of them. In the socialites you seem to be missing Babe Paley, Gloria Guiness and perhaps Ceezee Guest, inmortalized in the nude by Diego Rivera, no less.. as to royalty, Soraya and Farah Diba are blatantly missing!!! and as to the men...ladies I give you Clark Gable!

    ReplyDelete
  17. daniel haleJanuary 14, 2010 at 1:19 AM

    A fun stroll through beauty ( Isabella Rossellini at about the top, my two cents, she still melts me.) Seems the interesting part is how much of a role did,or does, those individuals ability to carry around that beauty have to play in their making the list.
    Daniel

    ReplyDelete
  18. P.Gaye Tapp at Little AuguryJanuary 16, 2010 at 12:02 AM

    Linda-oh yes CG. So many ,we can go on and on.

    ReplyDelete
  19. P.Gaye Tapp at Little AuguryJanuary 16, 2010 at 12:05 AM

    daniel-so glad you are enjoying it. Isabella is one of those I always thought was stunning in my youth. The character of the women and their stories are worth some exploration I think. G

    ReplyDelete
  20. AnonymousJanuary 16, 2010 at 6:05 PM

    I konw this is an old post but you could please tell me the names of the two women in the big Georgian room and what house this is??

    -Many thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  21. lotusgreenJanuary 22, 2010 at 8:57 PM

    i've finally made an offering for you.

    check it out.

    ReplyDelete
  22. P.Gaye Tapp at Little AuguryJanuary 22, 2010 at 11:26 PM

    Lotus-ah, I am afraid I don't follow you, enlighten?

    ReplyDelete
  23. lotusgreenJanuary 23, 2010 at 1:59 AM

    oh, wierd, sorry. i wonder why that link didn't work@

    try this:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/lotusgreen/4296060365/

    ReplyDelete
  24. kathrynnovaMay 24, 2010 at 6:01 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  25. P.Gaye Tapp at Little AuguryMay 24, 2010 at 6:17 PM

    Katy,- she is a must. thanks for visiting come back.

    ReplyDelete
  26. beyondbeigeJuly 16, 2010 at 6:48 PM

    I know this is an old post.. but. WOW!!!!
    I think Merle Oberon is breathtaking and so overlooked.. Thanks for the eye candy:)

    ReplyDelete
  27. george.hillsOctober 4, 2010 at 3:13 AM

    Elizabeth & Margaret Windsor, right on...

    but you missed the young Laura Nyro:

    http://www.last.fm/music/Laura+Nyro/+images/46051203

    ReplyDelete
  28. P.Gaye Tapp at Little AuguryOctober 4, 2010 at 9:56 AM

    george, I just saw a few more photographs of the 2 royals, especially QE-she was lovely and with a strong character to duty and country. I am sure WWII molded her in many ways. I like your addition-Laura Nyro and thank you for the link. pgt

    ReplyDelete
  29. george.hillsOctober 4, 2010 at 3:29 PM

    > especially QE-she was lovely
    > with a strong character to duty and country.

    yea, my favourite is the Queen in her service uniform:

    http://www.gettyimages.ca/detail/89867508/Hulton-Archive

    ReplyDelete
  30. Malcolm J. TaylorOctober 23, 2010 at 11:24 AM

    I am researching the character of Eilert Lovborg from Ibsen's "Hedda Gabler", who is one of the great dramatic devastating beauty. Lovborg uses the phrase "devastating Beauty" in our translation to describe the future as he sees it. Thank you for these postings. Very helpful.

    ReplyDelete

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