Aubrey Beardsley: Decadence & Desire

Product Description A beautiful gift book devoted to the work of Aubrey Beardsley,one of the defining – and most controversial – artists of theArt Nouveau style. Aubrey Beardsley (1872–1898) was only 25 when he died from tuberculosis, but inhis short life he established a reputation as one of the most accomplished – andcontroversial – illustrators of his day, whose contribution to the visual language of ArtNouveau was profound. Astonishingly, all his work was created in the course of only sixyears, and is today instantly recognizable for its use of black ink and flowing lines onwhite paper – and its erotically charged subject matter. Not all his work was lubricious– some of it was political, poking fun at the decadent mores of the time – but much ofit was, taking its stylistic inspiration from Japanese shunga and Greek vase painting andits thematic inspiration from mythology, history, poetry and drama. This beautifully designed, accessibly priced gift book offers a wealth of illustrationsby Beardsley, and introduces his exquisitely wrought drawings and prints to a newaudience. With a text by Jan Marsh and around 110 illustrations from the extensivecollections of the Victoria and Albert Museum, this book brings together a carefullycurated selection of works from Beardsley’s tragically short but highly productive life. Table of Contents Preface • Introduction • The Plates About the Author Jan Marsh specializes in the Victorian period, in particular the Pre-Raphaelites and William Morris. She is president of the William Morris Society, a trustee of the William Morris Gallery and a fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Marsh was a contributor to May Morris: Art & Life, also published by Thames & Hudson.