The Cult of Beauty questions the demand for looks throughout history
Idolino and Esquiline Venus at The Cult of Beauty. Photograph by Malavika Pradeep
Beauty patches for syphilis and smallpox scars, windmills for husbands to transform their ugly wives. The Cult of Beauty exhibition at The Wellcome Collection showcases dialogue between beauty, age, gender, race and status through history.
The exhibition challenges conventional notions of beauty, urging a more nuanced understanding beyond binary differences. It explores diverse perspectives, particularly from marginalised communities, on what beauty means in our world.
Sophie, 26, The Cult of Beauty visitor, said: "It is nice to go through time in this show. I like the layout and the colour palette of this exhibition."
The exhibition discusses a variety of differe...