'Race' was essentially a construction of the 18th century, a means by which the Enlightenment could impose rational order on human variety. This title argues that ideas of beauty were from the beginning inseparable from race, as Europeans judged the civility and aesthetic capacity of other races by their appearance.

Race was essentially a construction of the 18th century, a means by which the Enlightenment could impose rational order on human variety. In this book, David Bindman argues that ideas of beauty were from the beginning inseparable from race, as Europeans judged the civility and aesthetic capacity of other races by their appearance. These judgements were combined with a conflict between those who wished to order humanity into separate races, and those who believed in a common humanity whose differences were due to climatic and geographical variations.