"A thing of beauty is a joy forever" said John Keats, and seldom has man spoken with such precision of observation and such truthful words. Audrey Hepburn certainly represents that beauty.
That joy manifests itself through those big, wide, innocent, endearing eyes. It hugs to the exquisitely carved features of her face and the perfection of her eyebrows. It drips through the urchinesque, naughty contours of her smile and the intoxicated curves of her hair. It breathes in the slenderness of her figure, in the fragility of her fingers, in the ivory perfection of her complexion and the graceness of her movements.
This admiration is not akin to that of a Julia Roberts, or Zeta Jones, or for that matter any other contemprory heroine. This admiration is akin to the admiration which arises when I see the myriad colours of the rainbow on the frail surface of a soap bubble. This admiration is mixed with the fear that, 'go too close' and the spectacle will vanish. Such a beauty can only survive in the safety of aloofness. It should not realise that I am watching. Like a butterfly on a flower. Like the quantum uncertainities.
And I keep watching, hoping that such works of perfect art should last forever even when I am aware that it is not possible. I hope against hope that those eyes will somehow, always retain their liquid brilliance. That that smile will never get polluted by those wretched wrinkles. That those plaits will keep shining in their silken luminiscence till eternity. I hope, but in vain as reality rears its ugly head. And then I look at her photograph again and for that one second, reality is thrown into oblivion. As they say: "A thing of beauty is a joy forever".
That joy manifests itself through those big, wide, innocent, endearing eyes. It hugs to the exquisitely carved features of her face and the perfection of her eyebrows. It drips through the urchinesque, naughty contours of her smile and the intoxicated curves of her hair. It breathes in the slenderness of her figure, in the fragility of her fingers, in the ivory perfection of her complexion and the graceness of her movements.
This admiration is not akin to that of a Julia Roberts, or Zeta Jones, or for that matter any other contemprory heroine. This admiration is akin to the admiration which arises when I see the myriad colours of the rainbow on the frail surface of a soap bubble. This admiration is mixed with the fear that, 'go too close' and the spectacle will vanish. Such a beauty can only survive in the safety of aloofness. It should not realise that I am watching. Like a butterfly on a flower. Like the quantum uncertainities.
And I keep watching, hoping that such works of perfect art should last forever even when I am aware that it is not possible. I hope against hope that those eyes will somehow, always retain their liquid brilliance. That that smile will never get polluted by those wretched wrinkles. That those plaits will keep shining in their silken luminiscence till eternity. I hope, but in vain as reality rears its ugly head. And then I look at her photograph again and for that one second, reality is thrown into oblivion. As they say: "A thing of beauty is a joy forever".
8 comments:
to quote Eco, "stat rosa pristina nomine, nomina nuda tenemus" roughly translated as,
"the ancient rose continues to exist thru its name, yet its name is all that remains to us"
I can modify it accordingly, but I am not in a mood to make an ass of myself: Eco for Hepburn is a deserving comment!
Absolutely deserving! but I would not want to associate the word 'ancient' with her :-)...
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other word would smell as sweet."
--From Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)
U have summed it all up bhai-saab..here is a little trivia to add..our very own "thing of beauty" had admitted to have copied audrey's style..
http://bollywood501.com/classic_f/sadhana/index.html
To the comment above I would say:
Imitation is the greates form of flattery....
But yes Hepburn was in a league of her own. Beauty has a way of blinding the beholder to the other finer aspects of a person's personality, not so in the case of Hepburn. Talent & beauty is a potent combination tat is simply sublime.
And to hear Ankit waxing eloquently about it, so many decades after her death is a testimony that she still lives amidst us......
I tot I should add a cheely little trivia :)....
Measurements: 34A-20-34 (as recorded in 1953)
According to her biography, "Audrey Hepburn: An Intimate Portrait", she made a vow to herself never to exceed 103 pounds. With the exception of her pregnancies, she succeeded.
Personal quotes:
"I never thought I'd land in pictures with a face like mine."
"I probably hold the distinction of being one movie star who, by all laws of logic, should never have made it. At each stage of my career, I lacked the experience."
"My look is attainable. Women can look like Audrey Hepburn by flipping out their hair, buying the large sunglasses, and the little sleeveless dresses."
"I know I have more sex appeal on the tip of my nose than many women in their entire bodies. It doesn't stand out a mile, but it's there."
@Aneesh: I could never figure out as to why I liked Sadhana so much... There was that incomprehensible, indivisible, inscrutable charm in her... Now it makes more sense :-)...
@Anurup: I bow to thee !
@Anurup: When it comes to anything beautiful, specially of the feminine variety, I have never met anyone else who can speak about it more eloquently, more beautifully, or with more knowledge. You continue to amaze me !
@aAnurup: "Beauty has a way of blinding the beholder to the other finer aspects of a person's personality, not so in the case of Hepburn."... see what I was saying in the last point :-).
You write beautifully on everything, Audrey Hepburn included. Thank you for including some of these wonderful words on my site! I hope it affects everyone the way it's affected me.
@last comment: Thanks a lot for the compliments
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