rubenesque a compliment or not?

[baggysenior]

a male colleague recently called me rubenesque. Do i see it as a compliment or a criticism? he actually asked me directly whether i saw it as a put down or a flirt. I dont know how to take it. its been bothering me since.

[helliebobs]

Well if he's intelligent enough to appreciate the art of Rubens, I'd say he is intelligent enough to appreciate women in all shapes and forms, so I'd take it as a compliment.

[cazzz1975]

depends if he likes rubenesque's?

[Eve]

It means a womanly, voluptuous, shapely figure so I'd take it as a compliment.

[Barmaid]

A friend of mine calls me Rubenesque, but as a compliment.

Rubens had a fondness for painting women with a fuller figure. But in his works they are a thing of beauty rather than of distaste. Personally, I would take it as a compliment.

[obNOXious]

Definately a compliment, it suggests a woman with curves and extreme feminity. If he'd been insulting you he's have called you something else entirely.

[baggysenior]

thanks everyone. i shall try and take it as a compliment rather than a criticism then x

[snagged]

I'd also say a compliment...

If he'd called you 'bubble butt' on the other hand... ;o)

[bednobs]

to me, it's just another way of commenting on someones appearance, so it depends on whether you like that or not.
a bit like saying "statuesque" when you really mean tall

[andy-hughes]

I think it's a nice description - I would use it to describe Nigella lawson, or Jane Goldman, and I fancy both of them considerably!

[Bbbananas]

take it as a compliment. Especially as there are so many men these days who would not even know that word, never mind use it. It would impress me!

[umustbejokin]

i would describe dawn french and jo brand as rubenesque, so make up your own mind. if men could be described in the same way then i would also be rubenesque.

[jno]

it means curvy or voluptuous. But who knows whether it's a compliment or not? Only he does and it'll depend whether he likes curviness. And since he asked you about it then either (a) he's not sure himself or (b) he's trying to start a conversation.

[Velvetee]

I personally wouldn't have taken it as a compliment, but I think your colleague probably meant it as one.

From what I remember, Rubens paintings depicted rather chunky looking women, with smaller busts and droopy arses. I'd rather be described as Monroesque.

[jno]

actually, looking at these ones
http://art-quarter.com/beck/joe/pablo/1/2/rube ns58.jpg

it's not just curvy but downright fleshy, whatever the opposite of size zero is. Those are the Three Graces, though, and Rubens clearly saw them as beautiful. Your colleague probably intended it as a compliment, or at the very least as a straightforward description; I've never heard the word used as criticism.

There are worse things than a man with artistic taste and a liking for women with bodies like the ones in Dove commercials.