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Collected Drawings of Aubrey Beardsley
Book is an important work for those interested in the origins and development of modern art, and for those fascinated by a unique and splendid talent that flourished far too briefly.
212 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1967
About the author
Aubrey Beardsley
245 books53 followersHighly individual black and white, often erotic drawings of British illustrator Aubrey Vincent Beardsley typified the art nouveau style.
Aubrey Vincent Beardsley identifies an English author. Japanese woodcuts influenced his executions in ink; he emphasized the grotesque, the decadent. This figure led in the aesthetic movement, which also included Oscar Wilde and James McNeill Whistler. Beardsley significantly contributed to the development of the poster movement despite the brevity of his career before tuberculosis caused his early death.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aubrey_...
Aubrey Vincent Beardsley identifies an English author. Japanese woodcuts influenced his executions in ink; he emphasized the grotesque, the decadent. This figure led in the aesthetic movement, which also included Oscar Wilde and James McNeill Whistler. Beardsley significantly contributed to the development of the poster movement despite the brevity of his career before tuberculosis caused his early death.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aubrey_...
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 10, 2017
200 pages of super tall reproductions of Aubrey Beardsley's artwork can only be a great thing, and it is, for this is one utterly beautiful collection.
January 23, 2008
Oh the wonderful elegant decadence of Aubrey Beardsley!
January 4, 2019
Aubrey Beardsley was a remarkably gifted illustrator of the Art Nouveau era, whose style was influenced by Toulouse-Lautrec and Japanese woodcuts. His work, in turn, influenced the turn of the century Art Nouveau and poster styles despite his brief career. (He died from tuberculosis at the age of 26.)
His pen and ink drawings are characterized by a precision and elegance of line, with black spaces starkly contrasting with white or "empty" spaces. His illustrations are often an unusual blend of the ethereal and the grotesque. This collection does not include all of Beardsley's drawings. Although there is a brief introduction and a bibliography of all his drawings, i would have liked more information regarding the social and cultural milieu in which Beardsley lived and worked. This collection also includes about 50 drawings that are actually forgeries. I'm conflicted about my rating, waffling between three stars and four stars.
His pen and ink drawings are characterized by a precision and elegance of line, with black spaces starkly contrasting with white or "empty" spaces. His illustrations are often an unusual blend of the ethereal and the grotesque. This collection does not include all of Beardsley's drawings. Although there is a brief introduction and a bibliography of all his drawings, i would have liked more information regarding the social and cultural milieu in which Beardsley lived and worked. This collection also includes about 50 drawings that are actually forgeries. I'm conflicted about my rating, waffling between three stars and four stars.
May 8, 2018
I'd first heard of Aubrey Beardsley from a song on Car Seat Headrest's Twin Fantasy ("A book of Aubrey Beardsley art corrupted me in youth/And now I'm trapped inside my youth" - man, I miss the days when I really respected that dude as a songwriter). Anyway, I found a copy of this sitting in the bookstore I work at and immediately snapped it up to see how exactly this would manage to corrupt young Car Seat.
I'm still not sure. These are extremely impressive feats of line work with a very unsettling sensuality imbued into its images, sure, but his sensibilities are very much in tune with the Art Deco movement that would come into its own after his untimely death. But while his bodies betray an incredible sensuousness, his faces are frozen in a rictus of Victorian petulance and his hands suffer from Albrecht Durer syndrome in that they're all posed in the same lithe, delicate way that accentuates all the fingers in a movement no living person has ever done naturally. Still, despite my minor misgivings, this is excellent art with unparalleled line technique - something the forgeries featured at the end prove very well.
I'm still not sure. These are extremely impressive feats of line work with a very unsettling sensuality imbued into its images, sure, but his sensibilities are very much in tune with the Art Deco movement that would come into its own after his untimely death. But while his bodies betray an incredible sensuousness, his faces are frozen in a rictus of Victorian petulance and his hands suffer from Albrecht Durer syndrome in that they're all posed in the same lithe, delicate way that accentuates all the fingers in a movement no living person has ever done naturally. Still, despite my minor misgivings, this is excellent art with unparalleled line technique - something the forgeries featured at the end prove very well.
November 24, 2022
Aubrey Beardsley can be seen in the crowd of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band, and that's not the only psych connection you'll get when you look at his wonderful art. I can hear Tyrannosaurus Rex songs abound as I look at his designs, and his illustrations for Lysistrata even depict a Marc Bolan-looking lad with a majordomo penis that would make Tom of Finland green with envy.
There's a bevy of androgynous-looking males and females all through this collection, interesting because Beardsley, contrary to popular belief, was not gay. But, beyond all the psych-glam T. Rextasy one has to wonder at the meticulous scrolling in his borders that are absolutely flawless. One of the best Beardsley collections out there.
There's a bevy of androgynous-looking males and females all through this collection, interesting because Beardsley, contrary to popular belief, was not gay. But, beyond all the psych-glam T. Rextasy one has to wonder at the meticulous scrolling in his borders that are absolutely flawless. One of the best Beardsley collections out there.
January 24, 2026
This was recommended to me by a coworker after chatting about Alphonse Mucha. Ironically, this book is extremely NSFW. But it's great! It was my first introduction to this author and I feel very well introduced indeed.
Interestingly, the last few pages are all forgeries: drawings purported to be by Beardsley but that kinda stink. In the age of AI, I liked being able to develop my eye for authenticity and talent that way. The differences are subtle, but finding them is a great way to appreciate the originals more!
Interestingly, the last few pages are all forgeries: drawings purported to be by Beardsley but that kinda stink. In the age of AI, I liked being able to develop my eye for authenticity and talent that way. The differences are subtle, but finding them is a great way to appreciate the originals more!
March 27, 2018
A fascinating compendium of Beardsley's etiolated drawings, with a section at the back dedicated to forgeries of his work. What, (if anything,) would he have produced if he had lived past 25?
January 19, 2008
I'll never forget my amazed shock when I saw Beardsley's drawing of the Serpentine S wearing a Tiara which the book
wrongly I think characterized as "death" when it is obviously
something closer to 'affect' or 'desire'.. it has ancient associations and wholly contemporary ones. Anyway. Beardsley
is one of the great illustrators I think, and its always fun to shock people less familiar with his work to a few tiny satyrs
with enormous phalli, or enormous satyrs with tiny phalli!
hehe
April 11, 2011
What a fun guy. A fellow English major shared that this man was "under the influence of
narcotics" often. That could explain the artwork...regardless, I like the clean lines and
languidness (I made up another word).
narcotics" often. That could explain the artwork...regardless, I like the clean lines and
languidness (I made up another word).
June 17, 2007
i was probably about ten when i found my parents' book of Beardsley drawings. it was a huge influence on me, which... explains a lot, i guess
December 5, 2007
love it because it is just so decadent
February 16, 2008
1967. I think the art book jones started here...
April 11, 2008
a collection of aubrey beardsley's drawings and illustrations.
if you are offended by lewdness, incest, androgyny, or decadence you might take a pass on this one.
if you are offended by lewdness, incest, androgyny, or decadence you might take a pass on this one.
September 30, 2009
I can't say anything other than this book is exquisite and inspiring and breathtaking and brilliant.
January 11, 2013
A pretty good collection from this master artist. Nicely sized also for larger reproductions. If there is a better Beardsley book out there, I haven't seen it.
September 21, 2013
I read the first edition of this book but Goodreads gave an error message when I tried adding it. C'est la vie.
February 5, 2016
I just love the drawings of Aubrey Beardsley!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews