![]() We may be unaware of it, but subconsciously we judge beauty by facial symmetry and proportion – and not just the features of the face,” she says. However, the science of beauty is much more complex. “There are certain universally accepted features of female beauty, such as high cheekbones, petite nose, good skin and full lips. This may sound strange, particularly if you believe that human beauty is entirely individual and subjective. In the last few decades, it has been applied to facial beauty too and adopted as a guideline for aesthetic treatments. Over the centuries, this ratio has been dubbed the golden ratio, the golden section, the divine proportion or more recently, phi, named after Phidias, a Greek sculptor and mathematician who is believed to have used it when designing sculptures for the Parthenon in Athens. Artists, including Leonardo Da Vinci and Botticelli, are said to have used it in planning their paintings, and it’s also found in nature, in the curl of a shell or the heart of a flower. The ancient Greeks discovered some 2,500 years ago that when a line is divided into two parts in a ratio of 1: 1.618, it is thought to create a profoundly appealing proportion. What makes a face beautiful? Doe eyes? A Grecian nose? A winning smile? Certainly, all of these play a role, but for some doctors the answer is something simpler.ĭr Tatiana Lapa, medical director of The Studio Clinic in London’s Harley Street, says a specific mathematical ratio can explain why some people are considered attractive and others are not. So how can phi – also known as the golden ratio – play a role in contemporary aesthetic medicine? But can an ancient mathematical formula really help make today’s faces more attractive? A number of doctors insist it can. Money aside, these three breeds are also known for their affection and loyalty to humans.“Wherever there is number, there is beauty.” So wrote the Greek philosopher Proclus. Prices for the relatively rare Peterbald begin at $1,700. A Himalayan costs between $200-$3,000 and the Persian ranges between $1,300-$3,000. These results are, of course, ironic because the Himalayan and Persian and some of the most expensive and sought-after cat breeds. It’s known to be even-tempered and dignified and but again, the squashed little face and button nose weren’t helpful in the analysis. Though similar to the Himalayan, it’s been around for thousands of years, and can even be seen in Egyptian hieroglyphics. Last in the ranking of “ugliest” casts is the glamourous Persian with a ratio of 5.87. A Peterbald (left) and a Persian (right) (courtesy All About Cats) First bred in 1994, the Peterbald is a crossing two equally odd-looking breeds: the utterly bald Donskoy and the Oriental Shorthair, famous for tiny face and outsized ears. Its large pointed ears and dog-like, triangular face earned it a golden ratio of 18.6. ![]() The Himalayan is followed by the Peterbald, which, you have to admit, looks … different. But aren’t these attributes an essential part of its fluffy charm? Its squashed nose and large, brooding eyes are partially responsible for shooting its golden ratio to a staggering 56.87. A Himalayan lounging (via Wikimedia Commons)Īmong the least fortunate breeds, the flat-faced Himalayan cat, a sub-breed of Siamese, was deemed the “ugliest” breed by a landslide. These cats are usually priced between $500-$1,700, with the Russian Blue being the most expensive, the website says. On the list of most beautiful cats, three breeds tied for the top spot, all scoring within 0.03 of the approximated golden ratio of 1.62: The regal Norwegian Forest (1.65) the athletic Russian Blue (1.65) and the common and loveable Manx (1.59). The ancient Egyptians used it to build the Pyramids Leonardo Da Vinci used it while painting the Mona Lisa and it remains in use today by artists, architects, and yes - plastic surgeons too. More complicated measurements of the golden ratio of beauty stipulate that in a “perfect” face, the length of an ear is equal to the length of the nose and the width of an eye is equal to the distance between the eyes. (For the record, this is the standard by which Hyperallergic sizes all of its homepage images.) In its most basic form, the equation divides the length of a face by its width, for which the ideal result should be the constant value for the Greek golden ratio - 1.618. A green-eyed Russian Blue (via Wikimedia Commons)įor the uninitiated - or those who refuse to be oppressed by set standards of beauty - the golden ratio of beauty is a symmetry algorithm that calculates attractiveness by measuring and comparing the distance between certain points on the face, like the eyes, nose, and mouth.
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