Dieppe, from the Fancy Bathers series (N187) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

This chromolithograph called Dieppe, from the Fancy Bathers series was issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co., presenting a bathing beauty by the sea. The maiden adjusting her hair is an intriguing gesture, laden with cultural history. We find echoes of it in classical depictions of Venus emerging from the sea, a motif symbolizing beauty and renewal. Yet, here, it's transposed onto a modern woman, a bather in a striped suit. This is not the goddess herself, but the gesture persists, now tinged with contemporary self-consciousness. The act of adjusting hair transforms from a divine act to one of personal grooming, a subtle but significant shift in meaning. It serves as a powerful force, engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level. What was once an embodiment of godly beauty is now a private moment made public. We are reminded that these gestures are not static, but fluid, changing with time and societal norms. They are reborn again and again, revealing our complex relationship with beauty, identity, and representation.