Sample essay on a young girl

The painting resonates a peculiar feeling of mystery and intrigue. It shows a varied classic style of painting and the allure of presenting it such manner. It may be considered a traditional way of painting but it still has a certain appeal that might still be applicable to the modern times.
The painting presents a painting of a young girl dressed in a frivolous gown with lots of ruffles and intricate details. With her hair all prep up and with short curls running the side of her face. But the most striking subject of the painting is the proportion of the gown to the girl’s body. The volume of the dress has hidden the outline of the wearer. The sleeves have immense ease and volume same as the volume pleats of the skirt. Aside from the gown that the girl is wearing, one can also see the inner clothing covering the girl’s legs. The trouser has attached additional ruffle extension. The girl is also seen holding a flower on her right arm. The background is set outdoors with a glimpse of a clear blue sky and a rock formation behind where the girl is standing. One can also see a body of water next to the girl as she stands still for her full view. The period of this clothing style can be traced back to the Crinoline period, as evidence of the clothes and the hairstyle.
The interesting part of the painting also is the way the girl behaves. The girl shies away from the viewer’s gaze, as she is totally vulnerable and exposed for everyone to see and view. Being from a past period, it makes the painting intriguing and surprisingly, attractive. It actually draws the viewers closer and it attempts to show the standard of beauty and modesty at the period in time. The mystery of the piece also lies on the little girl’s coy and shy eye contact with the viewer. It does not direct nor addresses the viewers glare. It just lets the viewer have a full view of her, dressed fully in a delicate gown. Looking closer at the proportion of the gown and the girl’s arms and legs, one can see the fragile and the lean body structure of the girl. The viewer is intrigued by the odd proportion and sizes of these body parts. It seems as if the painter has a penchant for smaller feet and thin limbs. Those are being cloaked around by the fullness and the enormous amount of fabric around her body. The standard of beauty may change as time goes by, but there are certain standards that still remain the same. The society has a permanent fondness for the youth and achieving a young looking body seems the eternal goal of most people. It is also riveting that the lean and frail body for girls is seen as attractive even before. Though, at present, one can see multitudes of body shapes considered to be beautiful. But there is still a predominance of those who prefer a lean and thinner body.
In a certain way, the painting shows the value of the standard of beauty. In such matters, certain features are objectified and favored. It may remain a mystery on whether the girl feels comfortable in her body so much so as to her dress but the pressure to be accepted and to be considered beautiful and appropriate for the society has an impact on a person’s behavior and choices in life. A painting like this may appear as a simple snapshot and an illustration of a little girl, but it defines the zeitgeist of beauty at that time. It makes the viewer wonder of things that changed through the years and on things that has not changed.