The Four Beauties

Problem
I have lost the four paintings, long vertical scrolls, I had of the four beauties. Now I wish to recreate them. Who were the beauties? Were they real people or legends? From which centuries - so wearing what era and style of clothes? Which symbols are in the pictures? Do they need to be Chinese or can I draw them as multi-national? If I am not sure of the time era or style of clothing, must they be clothes or could they be naked and concealed with hair whilst bathing, like theVenus de Milo emerging from the shell and sea? Are they by rivers or lakes or seas? (So could they have waves like the Japanese classics?

Answer
Wikipedia gave me the story of the four beauties. Each is depicted with a flower or fish or something else.


Story
My first idea was that I would have four women of different races, Chinese, African American, blonde caucasian, and a fourth. But when I looked up the story I found they were all Chinese. So that leaves the opportunity to create four types. These might include the round Shanghai face. Better still, find classic paintings from the era. Plus suitable clothes.

I was thinking of creating for working men who built civilisation. Perhaps: a tailor, a chef, a builder, a scholar. To be politically correct I would need four women in classic civilisation building occupations, especially those attracting beauties, maybe based on famous people? Who should I choose? Classic heroines? Florence Nightingale? I recall the debate about who should be on the British banknotes.

Perhaps I need to compile a list for every race and religion (except Muslims who do not want to be depicted).

Suddenly four seems a small number.

Should they be people who were princesses and courtesans?
Must they be good people?
What about Lucrezia Borgia?

Do ideas on beauty change? Elizabeth Taylor is said to be very beautiful.
Anne Frank?
Zsa Zsa Gabor?

Kings and Queens
Frankly, I can't understand what King Henry VIII saw in Anne Boleyn.

Females - ancient
Was Helen of Troy a real person?
Cleopatra.

Modern
Princess Grace of Monaco (Grace Kelly film star).
Princess Diana.
Marilyn Monroe - top of my list of attractive faces, but not a doer, nor a thinker.

Males
Rudolf Valentino.

Tips
One was so beautiful that - fish
another that - flowers.

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Four handsome men existed two.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Beauties
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China%27s_Four_Most_Handsome_Men

Angela Lansbury, travel writer, photographer and illustrator.