Aubrey Beardsley Hb [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

David Colvin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 17, 1998

Aubrey Vincent Beardsley, illustrator and writer, was the most notorious and outstanding artist of the fin de si?cle. His disturbing erotic drawings shocked the sensibilities of the Victorians and his friendship and collaboration with Oscar Wilde has secured his place in the pantheon of great artists of the 19th century. Jaques-Emile Blanche's portrait of Bearsley, his face 'like a silver hatchet', is the enduring image of this fabulously talented man who died at the age of just 25. Beardsley's most important illustrations were for Wilde's Salome, Popes The Rape of the Lock, The Lysistrata of Aristophanes and Jonson's Valpone. He was art editor of the hugely influential Yellow Book from which he was dismissed following the arrest of Wilde becoming thereafter the creative editor of the 'Savoy' magazine. He went on to write the highly erotic romance The Story of Venus and Tannhauser which was published in an unexpurgated version as Under the Hill. This extraordinary man created some of the most striking and enduring images of the last one hundred years. His influence on Oscar Wilde and his circle was profound and his achievements in such a short life is one of the great literary and artistic stories of the 19th century.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Not since the early 1970s, when dorm room walls were covered with posters of their work, have the Aesthetes and Pre-Raphaelites of 19th-century England been so popular. This latest work on illustrator Aubrey Vincent Beardsley is the second in six months (Aubrey Beardsley: A Biography, LJ 2/1/99). Colvin, an art historian and limited-editions publisher, takes a different slant on Beardsley in this elaborately illustrated biography, looking at him through his art but also adding much on how the artist was viewed and remembered by friends and contemporaries. Beardsley died from tuberculosis at 25, yet in the six brief years that he worked he illustrated Wilde's Salome, Pope's The Rape of the Lock, Aristophanes' Lysistrata, and Johnson's Valpone. He was also the art editor of the influential serial The Yellow Book. His extraordinary work was noted for its sexual curves and erotic tone, elaborate borders, and initialsAa mixture of Oriental and Art Nouveau. With its numerous and excellent use of illustrations, this is a worthy companion to other Beardsley works. Highly recommended for all collections.AJoseph C. Hewgley, Nashville P.L.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

David Colvin is a man of many talents all of which he employs to the full. He lectures in the history of art; designs books for his own press, Cypher; designs costumes for the Mermaid Theatre and National Theatre; contributes photographs to the Architectual Association library and writes, mainly on the literary characters of the 19th century.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 112 pages
• Publisher: Orion Media; illustrated edition edition (August 17, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0752817841
• ISBN-13: 978-0752817842
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 9.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,553,172 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Perfect Introduction to Beardsley's Life and Work, March 30, 2004

By 

Danielle Bennignus - See all my reviews

This review is from: Aubrey Beardsley: A Slave to Beauty (Paperback)

A quick read, and packed with wonderful photographs and drawings, this book is a great treat for the new Beardsley fan. This book re-opened my eyes to his work, and broadened my horizons, as to who he was, and the life that he led. In other words, it laid the foundation for my further studies of Aubrey Beardsley, and his artistic contribution to the world.

The information is thorough and accurate, and the images are a joy to behold - so much so, in fact, that I purchased a second copy for the sole purpose of cutting out and framing them, for hanging in my drawing studio. Also, the brief nature of the book is helpful, in that it doesn't require the reader to commit, as is necessary for a longer biography. It serves as an ideal introduction. I would strongly recommend it, however, to both those who have just discovered Beardsley, and those who have long loved Beardsley's work.