Rubenesque

[Headsnap]

Calling all fans of obscure, obtuse words! What exactly does Rubenesque mean? So far all I've been able to discern is that it is some sort of female euphemism for "chunky", as in "Rosie O'Donnell is very Rubenesque", however I have also been told that it is not necessarily a negative thing, as in calling someone Rubenesque indicates voluptuous curviness rather than unvoluptuous bulk. Please help me figure out this mystery.

 

[minerva]

The word "Rubenesque" (meaning plump or fleshy, yet not "fat," and used exclusively to describe women) is derived from Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish painter 16th/17th century) last name, as many of his paintings feature full-figured, voluptuous women.

Mystery solved?

 

[fearsometickler]

The word "Rubenesque" (meaning plump or fleshy, yet not "fat," and used exclusively to describe women) is derived from Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish painter 16th/17th century) last name, as many of his paintings feature full-figured, voluptuous women.

Mystery solved?

Couldn't say it better myself 😛 And being serious now - what've been written above is true

 

[lk70]

his art

 

[TklDuo-Drew]

Was this before or after he invented "Mounds", "Almond Joys", and "Pee Wee's Playhouse"?



Drew

 

[brianspencer66]

Always loved those paintings. What a far cry from what we set as standards today for young woman.

 

[lk70]

Was this before or after he invented "Mounds", "Almond Joys", and "Pee Wee's Playhouse"?



Drew

Who let this one out of his cage?

 

[TklDuo-Ann]

Who let this one out of his cage?

I'm sorry! I'll put him back in. Come here, you!!!

We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread....

 

[Libertine]

Changing Standards

All of the northern European painters in the 1600s featured women whom we would consider 'plus-sized'. This was considered attractive at the time, because food was scarcer in those days and only the wealthy could afford to be 'people of substance', thus advertising their economic ability to provide a food surplus for themselves and their families.

Also, because houses were inefficiently heated by open fires, and the climate in Rubens' native Holland was much colder then it is now, extra fat was healthy because it acted as an insulator. This meant voluminous clothing also needed to be worn in those days both to cover the heavier bodies, and provide more warmth. So, fat girls in thick woollens were idealised in the same way that we regard photos of slim society girls in skimpy evening gowns.

Today we have no trouble heating houses so we don't need the excess poundage, and a woman with a slim figure advertises that, in a society awash with cheap junk food, she can afford to buy healthy food, has self-control over what she eats, and has sufficient time and self-discipline to exercise.

And I say 'woman' because the term 'Rubenesque' is gender-specific.

 

[Mimi]

Bah, I still think chunky chicks are hot. 😀

 

[TklDuo-Drew]

"picks lock", "escapes cage"


I'm right there with you, Mimi.😎😉


Drew

 

[lk70]

This was considered attractive at the time, because food was scarcer in those days and only the wealthy could afford to be 'people of substance', thus advertising their economic ability to provide a food surplus for themselves and their families.

Today we have no trouble heating houses so we don't need the excess poundage, and a woman with a slim figure advertises that, in a society awash with cheap junk food, she can afford to buy healthy food, has self-control over what she eats, and has sufficient time and self-discipline to exercise.

I was aware of the theory about why plus sized women were considered attractive but as far as I know it's a just a theory. And as far as that goes, I'm not sure I buy the same theory for why the vast majority of people consider overly thin women attractive today.

Honestly I don't have another theory to offer, but something inside me seriously rejects the "warm house, healthy food" theory.

 

[SmarterthanU]

Calling all fans of obscure, obtuse words!

Someone please tell me that 'Rubenesque' has not truly fallen into the realm of obscure and obtuse.

 

[BellaRisa]

Today we have no trouble heating houses so we don't need the excess poundage, and a woman with a slim figure advertises that, in a society awash with cheap junk food, she can afford to buy healthy food, has self-control over what she eats, and has sufficient time and self-discipline to exercise.

With respect Libertine, a woman with a slim figure advertises those qualities/facts of her life if she appears **fit** as well as slim. Unfortunately that's just not the case for the lion's share of thin ladies I see out and about and on the covers of magazines these days. Those women advertise smoking as a food group, and the only self-control they seem to have is over lipgloss and fake bronzer since they rarely have a healthy glow all on their own.

Headsnap, I initially came across the term "rubenesque" when I was a theatre major years ago. When we used it, the meaning had very little to do with "excess poundage"; it described a woman who was fit and strong but by no means slim, nor did she want to be, with a cello-like figure that could stop an argument 😎. Her weight was only considered excessive by those who thought shooting heroin under your toenails was a fine way to stay skinny.

Like this young lady, Crystal Renn:

I adore Crystal's rubenesque body, and would give a lot to have it bound to my bed for an evening. Nothing slim about her, not a rib bone or hip joint to be seen (meaning you have to explore to find them, nothing wrong with that ) but to me she exudes health and a vitality that makes me want to hear her laugh for hours. She can't hide behind a barber pole like so many 'slim' ladies, but who'd want her to?

 

[Headsnap]

Someone please tell me that 'Rubenesque' has not truly fallen into the realm of obscure and obtuse.

Moreso even than "obtuse", sir :0

Thank you all for solving my little dilemma with such aplomb, I now know one more word than I did yesterday. I also approve of the little crow-box that appears to have developed around my question Does make me wonder how many of these people who reject and indeed abhor the standards of beauty which society "imposes" upon women extend the same grace to men, but I do like to wonder about things.

 

[lk70]

Does make me wonder how many of these people who reject and indeed abhor the standards of beauty which society "imposes" upon women extend the same grace to men, but I do like to wonder about things.

Interesting point. I prefer men with some baggage on them. Why should that be? Does it imply he's successful? Powerful? Or is it just because I like it?

Can anyone apply Libertine's theories to how society views men's attractiveness?

 

[Mimi]

With respect Libertine, a woman with a slim figure advertises those qualities/facts of her life if she appears **fit** as well as slim. Unfortunately that's just not the case for the lion's share of thin ladies I see out and about and on the covers of magazines these days. Those women advertise smoking as a food group, and the only self-control they seem to have is over lipgloss and fake bronzer since they rarely have a healthy glow all on their own.

Headsnap, I initially came across the term "rubenesque" when I was a theatre major years ago. When we used it, the meaning had very little to do with "excess poundage"; it described a woman who was fit and strong but by no means slim, nor did she want to be, with a cello-like figure that could stop an argument 😎. Her weight was only considered excessive by those who thought shooting heroin under your toenails was a fine way to stay skinny.

Like this young lady, Crystal Renn:

I adore Crystal's rubenesque body, and would give a lot to have it bound to my bed for an evening. Nothing slim about her, not a rib bone or hip joint to be seen (meaning you have to explore to find them, nothing wrong with that ) but to me she exudes health and a vitality that makes me want to hear her laugh for hours. She can't hide behind a barber pole like so many 'slim' ladies, but who'd want her to?

Oh dear God I could dine off her for hours....

YUMMY! Thank you, my darling Bella, for sharing that delightful morsel with us. Hubba hubba.

And Headsnap, I am with lk70 on this one. I like some meat on both my men and women. Gives me surface space to explore with my fingertips, as well as more substance to snuggle into on a cozy night at home.

 

[Headsnap]

Interesting point. I prefer men with some baggage on them. Why should that be? Does it imply he's successful? Powerful? Or is it just because I like it?

There's probably some sort of pseudo-psychonalaytical theory that people who are attracted to people "outside the norm", i.e men with baggage (who would fall outside the societal norm of being a scrawny fucker with a crow's nest instead of a haircut and a sunbed tan), are not in fact attracted to them and are instead displaying some deep-seated insecurities by settling, because they as a self-loathing type of person does not feel they run as high a risk of losing a partner whom society considers unattractive to another person.

That's one theory. My theory is that you like what you like and you'll like it no matter what anyone tells you about it. Controversial perhaps, but hey, that's me all over.

Can anyone apply Libertine's theories to how society views men's attractiveness?

Yes. Nowadays we have a thing called a Snickers bar. It is a chocolate coated nougat and caramel thing with peanuts in it, and is thus high in calories and fat whilst also tasting very nice and many people enjoy them. A man with "baggage", i.e excess body fat, is more likely to eat Snickers bars on a regular basis than a man without and thus the likelihood that he has some that you can steal is 30.943% higher than if you were to go out with a male that society considers "beautiful", who most likely does not eat Snickers and instead eats tofu and dusty clumps of dry grass.

 

[chicago]

I prefer guys that are about the same size as me if not a bit bigger and I'm not exactly a beanpole.

That said, I've dated a lot of guys that were a bit shorter than me and a lot of guys that were heroin-addict-skinny. There were other things about them that I thought were attractive, but I must say, worrying about whether your boyfriend is going to collapse a lung when he coughs, or fall over if there's a strong gust of wind, kind of sucks.

 

[Icycle]

Like this young lady, Crystal Renn:

I adore Crystal's rubenesque body, and would give a lot to have it bound to my bed for an evening. Nothing slim about her, not a rib bone or hip joint to be seen (meaning you have to explore to find them, nothing wrong with that ) but to me she exudes health and a vitality that makes me want to hear her laugh for hours. She can't hide behind a barber pole like so many 'slim' ladies, but who'd want her to?

Wow! Thanks for those pictures Bella. She's hot!

 

[dvnc]

Curvy girls rock. Nuff said.

 

[kis123]

Here we go again!!!

Bella, I didn't want to quote you because if I saw that woman's photo one more time, I'd have to hunt her down! What a knockout!!!

Beyonce' and Tyra also come to mind; these women are solid, curvy, voluptous women that make almost anyone salivate. Both of them can rock the hell outta' a bikini with their "overweight" selves! I'd like to be fat like that!!

We're going back to preferences and everyone has their right to them. But it borders insulting when someone assumes the old "thin=fit and healthy" vs "fat=unfit and unhealty" stereotypes. Young girls are starving themselves to obtain a standard of beauty that's almost impossible to obtain (and who the hell would want to?"

Libertine, with all due respect, it's apparent that you prefer the petite. To say that KittenToes is stunning is like saying the sun rises in the morning and sets in the evening! However, not every man prefers the petite or even the plus sized! My guy likes them large and in charge and he's not a big guy by any means. He says large women are soft and sexy to him and he's always been attracted to BBW's and bigger. Personally, I think he's crazy, but he's my crazy and I'm crazy about him!

I usually like my tall men lean with a nice tush and my shorties husky. Well my latest SO is a shortie who's slim, but with a certain "thickness" to him that naturally comes with age. Just wish he had a better tush, but he makes up for it with a beautiful face, a great personality, and ..............

 

[SmarterthanU]

Just a couple of comments, to keep things in proportion - pardon the pun.

Crystal Renn is gorgeous. She's as sexy as it gets. She's also 5 inches taller than the average American woman, and she wears a size 12 dress, which is the average dress size for American women. So I'm not sure she's really a good example for this discussion, because while she may be Rubenesque compared to Kate Moss, she's not Rubenesque compared to the average woman. She's tall compared to the average woman, and that makes her proportions longer and less round. Just sayin'.

 

[Redmage]

And to think all these years I've thought it meant "Like a pastrami-and-sauerkraut-sandwich." That explains all the weird looks I got in art galleries.

 

[BellaRisa]

Excuse me?

Just a couple of comments, to keep things in proportion - pardon the pun.

Crystal Renn is gorgeous. She's as sexy as it gets. She's also 5 inches taller than the average American woman, and she wears a size 12 dress, which is the average dress size for American women. So I'm not sure she's really a good example for this discussion, because while she may be Rubenesque compared to Kate Moss, she's not Rubenesque compared to the average woman. She's tall compared to the average woman, and that makes her proportions longer and less round. Just sayin'.

Crystal is a fine example for this discussion, thank you. Rubenesque-ness (yes it's a word ) has nothing to do with height. The fact that her proportions differ from other, equally rubenesque women due similar shapes overall but different bodies, because they're different people, doesn't make the term invalid for her nor for the purposes of this thread. The actual measurements are surely different, but the definition doesn't change because of that. A woman under 5 feet tall with dimensions similar to Crystal's would still be considered rubenesque.