PUBLIC BEAUTIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5394, 1 March 1879, Page 7

PUBLIC BEAUTIES.

s it true that English ladies of beauty and osition receive large sums of money from hotographers for a sitting which puts larger urns of money in the photographer's pocket ? am quite sure it is not true ; but I think : is a sad and serious thing that such a eport should be whispered about, and that he appearance of these portraits side by side ?ith th<se of the ladie3 of the ballet and the 'emi mondc should give a kind of support to he degrading rumour. A fashion of this :ind i 3 almost alwaysprogressive. Early last easou our court beauties were content if their imple face might be bought for ten shillings , dozen. The portrait was taken plain, and sras such as any lady in private life might iresent to her friends. The public demands .ppear to have required more, and the adies of rank and position have assisted the >hotographers in supplying it. Wo have iow portraits in fancy dress and in affected .ttitudes; portraits in which both their dress ind the attitude have nothing to recommend hem except that they assist to awaken a rulgar admiration. Certain ladies may >e congratulated on selling nearly as well as Vlaud Branscombe who before she became a photographic beauty had been very attractive n page parts. Other popular favourites, :ommercially speaking, do not go off quite so yell; that is to say, are nob so completely ihe style that 'Arry cares to invest his ihilUug in. Still their portraits are in brisk lemand.—Mayfalr.