The science of beauty, as developed in nature and applied in art

by David Ramsay Hay

The outline of the mamma and fold of the arm-pit commences at (21), and passes through the points (22) and (23). The circle at (24) is the outline of the areola, in the centre of which the nipple is placed.

The outline of the pubes commences at (25), and ends at the point (26), from which the outline of the inner surface of the thigh proceeds over the gracilis, the sartorius, and vastus internus muscles, until it meets the internal face of the knee-joint at (27), the outline of which ends at (28). The outline of the inside of the leg commences by proceeding over the gastrocnemius muscle as far as (29), where it meets that of the soleus muscle, and continues over the tendons of the heel until it meets the outline of the inner ankle and foot at (30).

The outline of the outer surface of the arm, as viewed in front, proceeds from (8) over the remainder of the deltoid, in which there is here a slight concavity, and, next, from (31) over the biceps muscle till (32), where it takes the line of the long supinator, and passing concavely, and almost imperceptibly, into the long and short radial extensor muscles, reaches the wrist at (33). The outline of the inner surface of the arm from opposite (9) commences by passing over the triceps extensor, which ends at (34), then over the gentle convexity of the condyles of the bone of the arm at (35), and, lastly, over the flexor sublimis which ends at the wrist-joint (36).

The outline of the front of the figure commences at the point (1), (fig. 2, [Plate II.]), and, passing almost vertically over the platzsma-myoidis muscles, reaches the point (2), where the neck ends by a concave curve. From (2) the outline rises convexly over the ends of the clavicles, and continues so over the pectoral muscle till it reaches (3), where the mamma swells out convexly to (4), and returns convexly towards (5), where the curve becomes concave. From (5) the outline follows the undulations of the rectus muscle of the abdomen, concave at the points (6) and (7), and having its greatest convexity at (8). This series of curves ends with a slight concavity at the point (9), where the horizontal branch of the pubes is situated, over which the outline is convex and ends at (10).

The outline of the thigh commences at the point (11) with a slight concave curve, and then swells out convexly over the extensors of the leg, and, reaching (12), becomes gently concave, and, passing over the patella at (13), becomes again convex until it reaches the ligament of that bone, where it becomes gently concave towards the point (14), whence it follows the slightly convex curve of the shin-bone, and then, becoming as slightly concave, ends with the muscles in front of the leg at (15).

The outline of the back commences at the point (16), and, following with a concave curve the muscles of the neck as far as (17), swells into a convex curve over the trapezius muscle towards the point (18); passing through which point, it continues to swell outward until it reaches (19), half way between (18) and (20); whence the convexity, becoming less and less, falls into the concave curve of the muscles of the loins at (21), and passing through the point (22), it rises into convexity. It then passes through the point (23), follows the outline of the gluteus maximus, the convex curve of which rises to the point (24), and then returns inwards to that of (25), where it ends in the fold of the hip. From this point the outline follows the curve of the hamstring muscles by a slight concavity as far as (26), and then, becoming gently convex, it reaches (27); whence it becomes again gently concave, with a slight indication of the condyle of the thigh-bone at (28), and, reaching (29), follows the convex curve of the gastrocnemius muscle through the point (30), and falling into the convex curve of the tendo Achilles at (31), ends in the concavity over the heel at (32).

The outline of the front of the arm commences at the point (33), by a gentle concavity at the arm-pit, and then swells out in a convex curve over the biceps, reaching (34), where it becomes concave, and passing through (35), again becomes convex in passing over the long supinator, and, becoming gently concave as it passes the radial extensors, rises slightly at (36), and ends at (37), where the outline of the wrist commences. The outline of the back of the arm commences with a concave curve at (38), which becomes convex as it passes from the deltoid to the long extensor and ends at the elbow (39), from below which the outline follows the convex curve of the extensor ulnaris, reaching the wrist at the point (40).

It will be seen that the various undulations of the outline are regulated by points which are determined generally by the intersections and sometimes by directions and extensions of the lines of the diagram, in the same manner in which I shewed proportion to be imparted, in a late work, to the osseous structure. The mode in which the curves of (¹⁄₂), (¹⁄₃), (¹⁄₄), (¹⁄₅), and (¹⁄₆) are thus so harmoniously blended in the outline of the female figure, only remains to be explained.

The curves which compose the outline of the female form are therefore simply those of (¹⁄₂), (¹⁄₃), (¹⁄₄), (¹⁄₅), and (¹⁄₆).

Manner in which these curves are disposed in the lateral outline (figure 1, [Plate XIX.]):—