Whenever the FT runs a picture of Hillary Clinton, I brace myself for a blizzard of e-mails, letters and telephone calls. Any blemish or wrinkle is read by her friends and foes alike as a sign of our political bias. As one correspondent from Florida – who identified himself as “not a supporter” – scolded: “Fair is fair. Hillary is subject to criticism, but ... not in an underhanded way such as this.”

Our photo editors, let me assure you, are not running a personal political campaign. Still, I am sympathetic to our readers’ criticism. The sad truth is that even today, with Nancy Pelosi as speaker of the US House of Representatives, Angela Merkel running a G7 country, and both Hillary Clinton and Ségolène Royale standing a good chance of taking over two others, a woman’s appearance remains an important part of how we judge her.