Art Quote by Jean de la Bruyere
“If women were by nature what they make themselves by art; if they were to lose suddenly all the freshness of their complexion, and their faces to become as fiery and as leaden as they make them with the red and the paint they besmear themselves with, they would consider themselves the most wretched creatures on earth.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: Les Caractères, 1695
Artificial beauty and societal expectations can cause women to view themselves as miserable.
In simple terms: Societal standards can make women feel wretched.
Key Takeaway
Challenge imposed beauty norms.
Themes
self‑esteem
beauty standards
gender roles
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
social
literary
When to use this quote
- media consumption
- personal grooming
- social media
- workplace dress codes
Key Concepts
Feminist theory
social critique
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How do beauty standards affect your self‑worth?
- What alternatives to imposed aesthetics exist?
A Different Perspective
Self‑image is shaped by external pressures.
![“The court is like a palace built of marble; I mean that it is made up of very hard but very polished people. [Fr., La cour est comme un edifice bati de marbre; je veux dire qu'elle est composee d'hommes fort durs mais fort polis.]” quote by Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fcf/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_built_the-court-is-like-a-palace-built-of-marb_77288.jpg)
