#Me when I'm trying to draw Valjean: ok but even if the beard isn't accurate it feels like it SHOULD be--

[secretmellowblog]

Me: Valjean having a beard would actually be historically inaccurate. In 1830s France, having facial hair on your chin was considered “rebellious” fashion; it marked you as one of the “Romantics.” Proper men were supposed to be clean-shaven OR to have facial hair in any normal place but on the chin (ex. moustaches or sideburns.) The importance of Facial Hair Styles is actually brought up a couple times in the book itself! Gillenormand complains about how modern men are all clean-shaven, Thenardier has a beard that he refers to as a Romantic beard, and so on and so on. Given how Valjean is desperate to appear like an “ordinary unassuming bourgeoise who would never do anything rebellious or commit any crimes,” it probably wouldn’t make sense for him to have a  beard. 

Also me: But what if.... he looked like Santa???