The art of Aubrey Beardsley

Abstract

English illustrator and author Aubrey Beardsley (1872-98) was a leading figure of the fin de siècle Aesthetic Movement and the most controversial artist of the 1890s. His delicate yet bold drawings in black ink of grotesque, sensual and erotic subjects transformed the art of illustration but also scandalized Victorian society with their dark and often perverse imagery. Prolific until his death from tuberculosis at the age of 25, he produced an enormous body of work that symbolized the decadence of the period and had a substantial and lasting effect on the Art Nouveau and poster movements. Originally published 20 years after he died, 'The Art of Aubrey Beardsley' presented some 60 of his most significant works in an intimate pocket volume. With a personal memoir and critical appreciation by Beardsley's collaborator the poet and magazine editor Arthur Symons written upon the artist's death, the book soon became the definitive word on the provocative artist's seductive and individual art. This centenary facsimile edition faithfully reproduces the pages of the original 1918 volume while presenting them in a beautifully designed, high-quality clothbound format that will appeal to a contemporary audience. A perfect gift for any Beardsley enthusiast, this book will also appeal to anyone interested in the fin-de-siècle era and the beginnings of modern graphic art.

Contents

Preface -- Aubrey Beardsley by Arthur Symons -- Illustrations.