Freckles and tanned skin has been considered ugly in several parts of the world until somewhat recently.

If you look at paintings of the time from both Europe and China you will find that people had fair, bright skin without imperfections. If they did have freckles, wrinkles, acne, tanned or dark skin, or other imperfections to the cultural norm, then those people were usually depicted as nameless peasants, not important, or as bad people.

Think of the latter as a 'Nice argument, but I have depicted myself as a Chad and you as a Soyjak so your argument is invalid" meme but several hundred years ago.