EXAGGERATION AS AN ^ESTHETIC FACTOR. 823 



the Hottentot Venus, they break the bone. On the other hand, 

 peoples who have thin noses can never get them aquiline enough. 

 Persians cultivate this shape by pressing the sides of the nose, 

 and the custom existed in France in the sixteenth century. 



Paint, by which the appearance of the features may be modi- 

 fied at the least cost, is much used by all peoples. Sometimes it 

 is employed to extend the beard. Aino women think it a fine 

 thing to have a mustache, and by this means give themselves a 

 full one. Opposed to them are the American Indians, who, being 

 almost beardless, pull out the few beard hairs they have. 



Black eyes and thick eyebrows are highly esteemed in the 

 East, and the women use kohl for the production of the desired 

 effect. The ancient Egyptians were fond of large, almond-shaped 

 eyes, and produced the appearance of them by painting a pro- 

 longation of the outer commissure of the eye. The custom pre- 

 vailed widely, and is represented in all the sculptures. The 

 Japanese, too, like almond eyes, but want them oblique, and se- 

 cure that appearance in the same way, only giving a different di- 

 rection to the stroke. This particular custom has disappeared 

 from among other peoples, but the use of paints still continues, 

 and we paint our lips rosy and blacken our eyebrows. 



The origin of these practices is evident. There are others the 

 motives of which are more debatable, but are elucidated on com- 

 parison with these. We mention especially the atrophy of the 

 feet among the Chinese. Some have attributed it to the jealousy 

 of husbands, or to regard for a queen who lived many centuries 

 ago and was lame ; but Malte-Brun and Ploss say that the Chi- 

 nese naturally have small feet. Their women have sought to ex- 

 aggerate this ethnic characteristic. 



The object, in the examples we have cited, has been to ac- 

 centuate a characteristic of the race. In other cases man exag- 

 gerates the weight or the volume of an ornament assumed origi- 

 nally for another purpose. According to Herbert Spencer, the 

 ornament was primarily a sign of distinction. It was worn in a 

 conspicuous place as a testimonial of a successful hunt or of a 

 victory over the enemy. Savages still hang human teeth or the 

 claws of wild beasts from their noses, lips, and ears. The Chib- 

 chas wear in this way chains formed of as many golden feathers 

 as they have slain enemies. 



The next step is to increase the volume and weight of the orna- 

 ments. Under the spur of emulation the ear lobe, for example, 

 is loaded down with trinkets till it is stretched so as to touch 

 the shoulder. The enlargement of the ear lobe then becomes the 

 desirable thing to the savage, and his chief effort is to bring it 

 about. Under a like perversion of taste, similar effects are pro- 

 duced with the stick inserted into the thick of the lips. In this 



