The Prettiest/Handsomest/Cutest/Most Beautiful

[JD]

Dobre dehn, Olga, or I should say, dobre ootrah to you, da?

Yes, it is too bad someone saw fit to start yet another of these threads on "who's the cutest", but then again, it certainly gave us an inspiration on the Revolution threads, didn't it?  In our case, it led to more intellectual discussions about our fave historical figures.

I kind of *doubt* that will happen in this thread, but we'll have to wait and see!

Except that as soon as anyone starts going against the choir, you want them silenced.  I don't call that "intellectual".   That thread, except for the areas in which I tried to honestly debate you about certain issues, was a gushfest - the fact that occasionally one of you would use more or bigger words doesn't negate that fact.  And I again have to question what you're doing here if you have such problems with the "mixing" between these "factions" as you suggested when I dared to contradict the consensus of the RR thread.  Your "this is a Russian History board" excuse could work there, but it won't here.

[Dashkova]

Olga i Lanie, schto ti dymaesh?
The GD's were all the prettiest, in their own ways, don't you think?  It's rather like comparing apples and oranges.

[olga]

Da, Dashkulya, ya soglashayus'. Oni byli vsye ochen' krasiviye.

[Louise]

Maria and Maria, this topic has been discussed in previous posts. If you use the search button you can find the discussion. You can also privately mail each other PM to talk about how pretty the GD were. There are also topics on how they dressed, their hair color etc. Hope that helps you both out.

Olga and Dashkova, if you take the time and check the personal information of both of these young ladies you will see that they are just that; young girls, and are very new to the board. Try a bit of understanding and patience with them instead of snippy comments. At least these two kids are showing an interest in history and learning

Louise

[olga]

I'm a young girl too!  

[Dashkova]

The prettiest aspect of the GD's was their wit, humor, and depth of character.  Do other posters in this thread see those qualities shine through, even in photos?

[olga]

Definitely.  

[rskkiya]

   I am not going to make any serious remarks about who was the most atrractive one (insert icon of face wincing here!)  I have to agree that this topic seems to have been beaten to death in other threads - but thats just me!
  Nevertheless, I will say that I have been told Maria N. looked the most Russian (had a "Russian Beauty") - whatever that means- but as this topic is not my cup of assam I will toddle off now!

JD -- if you don't agree with my dear friends Olya and Dashkova, simply say "I disagree" and thats all that you need to do...OK?

dasvidanya
rskkiya

[olga]

Spasiba, rskkiya.  

JD, if you have a beef with Dashkova or I, please continue it through private messages. That's all I have to say.

[Michelle]

Olga Olga Olga!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Gorgeous Gorgeous Gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  She's my favorite as far as the looks go, but I do also really love Tatiana's and Maria's beauty as well.

You know, that IS a very good question--why are Dashkova and Co. on THIS particular thread, like they accused many who went over on THEIR threads of doing for no reason.  I think I can smell some trouble brewing.........  Lanie's right--who cares?  It's a trivial little topic, however most enjoyable.  It's not important, so guys, stop having such hissy fits.  Calm down and drink some nice warm milk, or else pop in some prescription Prozac or Ritalin.

[Dashkova]

I think that in keeping with the focus on the GD's character, it is sometimes interesting to contemplate the beauty that had no chance to develop, the beauty as they moved into the full bloom of womanhood,
... the sensual beauty of a lover,
....that of a new mother,
....the beauty that would have come out of surviving their ordeal,
...the poignant beauty of those who have loved and lost,
....the beauty that they would have retained, expressed in other ways, as they grew older, wiser, and hopefully well-loved.
These are just some of the varieties of true beauty, and the ones that count.

[grandduchess_sofia]

Poor little nastya no-one ever thinks of her when discussing there beauty however, it isn't really one the most important characteristics. Although it is kind off proven that people do judge people on their looks first.

sopski

[Dashkova]

I quite agree, I think everyone does that first, but when it comes to the GD's, their story is so well-known, their photos so familiar, even to children these days (and then as well, since they were something of the "superstar" nature, in early 20th century terms), it can only be hoped that the majority have moved past that, since other things about these lovely young ladies are FAR more interesting than how they *looked* at any given point.

[Elisabeth]

Picking up on something Sofia mentioned... Has anyone here read the anthropologist Nancy Etcoff's book, "Survival of the Prettiest: The Science of Beauty" (Anchor, 2000)? It demonstrates that our idea of what constitutes "beauty" is biologically predetermined. For example,  symmetrical, neotenic features (neotenic = childlike; e.g. big eyes, small nose) are universally  prized, especially in women. By that standard, Maria Nikolaevna was without question the most beautiful of the grand duchesses. If you look at pictures of her when her head was shaved, after having measles, you can see that she had the most regular, symmetrical features of all the grand duchesses. As a result, she looks every bit as pretty bald as she does with hair.

[Dashkova]

Picking up on something Sofia mentioned... Has anyone here read the anthropologist Nancy Etcoff's book, "Survival of the Prettiest: The Science of Beauty" (Anchor, 2000)? It demonstrates that our idea of what constitutes "beauty" is biologically predetermined. For example,  symmetrical, neotenic features (neotenic = childlike; e.g. big eyes, small nose) are universally  prized, especially in women. By that standard, Maria Nikolaevna was without question the most beautiful of the grand duchesses. If you look at pictures of her when her head was shaved, after having measles, you can see that she had the most regular, symmetrical features of all the grand duchesses. As a result, she looks every bit as pretty bald as she does with hair.

Oh yes, I've heard of this study (though still have my doubts about anthropology as a science)! Fascinating stuff.  As the natural possesser of both those qualities (along with symetric features), I guess I qualify!!  

But truly, I think *most* people do, if that theory is true, it is more likely that anthropologically/historically speaking, the women with those qualities were more likely to be valued and desirable for breeding purposes...and those of us living today are the results! (Well, for the most part...and of course nowadays those who don't naturally have some of those features can *buy* them and then reap the benefits should they chose!)
Thanks for bringing this up, it is fascinating food for thought.