Aubrey Beardsley

(British, 1872–1898)

Aubrey Beardsley was a British author and illustrator known for his wry humor and elegant drawing style. Beardsley depicted both macabre and overtly sexual themes during the rampant conservatism of the Victorian era. “People hate to see their darting vices depicted [but] vice is terrible and it should be depicted,” he once said. Born on August 21, 1872 in Brighton, United Kingdom, he was a skilled artist and musician from a young age despite contracting tuberculosis at the age of 7. In 1891, Beardsley was recommended by the Pre-Raphaelite painter Edward Burne-Jones to attend the Westminster School of Art. After quickly gaining success as an illustrator, Beardsely was introduced to the famed author Oscar Wilde, who had recently published the provocative book The Picture of Dorian Gray. In 1894, Beardsley illustrated Wilde’s play Salomé (1891), in what was perhaps his most famous graphic work, the artist depicted ghostly figures, phallic-shaped objects, and nude hermaphroditic figures. His infamy in England led the young artist to be commissioned by erotica magazines in the following years. Struggling with tuberculosis throughout his life, Beardsley succumbed to the illness at the age of 25, on March 16, 1898 in Menton, France. Despite his short career, the artist’s work had a profound impact on the development of Art Nouveau. Today, his works are held in the collections of the Tate Gallery in London, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Albertina in Vienna, and the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo, among others.

Aubrey Beardsley Artworks

Aubrey Beardsley (174 results)

THE SAVOY. 1896, 1896

Aubrey Beardsley

THE SAVOY. 1896, 1896

Sale Date: February 18, 2021

Auction Closed

PUBLISHER / CHILDREN'S BOOKS. 1897, 1897

Aubrey Beardsley

PUBLISHER / CHILDREN'S BOOKS. 1897, 1897

Sale Date: February 18, 2021

Auction Closed

Salomé by Oscar Wilde poster

Aubrey Beardsley

Salomé by Oscar Wilde poster

Sale Date: June 4, 2020

Auction Closed

THE SAVOY. 1896, 1896

Aubrey Beardsley

THE SAVOY. 1896, 1896

Sale Date: February 13, 2020

Auction Closed

THE PSEUDONYM AND AUTONYM LIBRARIES, 1894

Aubrey Beardsley

THE PSEUDONYM AND AUTONYM LIBRARIES, 1894

Sale Date: January 23, 2020

Auction Closed

Publisher / Children's Books. 1894, 1894

Aubrey Beardsley

Publisher / Children's Books. 1894, 1894

Sale Date: October 27, 2019

Auction Closed

A Comedy of Sighs by John Todhunter and The..., 1894

Aubrey Beardsley

A Comedy of Sighs by John Todhunter and The..., 1894

Sale Date: May 30, 2019

Auction Closed

Initial letter W, 1894

Aubrey Beardsley

Initial letter W, 1894

Sale Date: June 4, 2019

Auction Closed

PUBLISHER / CHILDREN'S BOOKS, 1897

Aubrey Beardsley

PUBLISHER / CHILDREN'S BOOKS, 1897

Sale Date: August 1, 2018

Auction Closed

THE SAVOY, 1896

Aubrey Beardsley

THE SAVOY, 1896

Sale Date: August 1, 2018

Auction Closed

Three Lilies Swaying Left

Aubrey Beardsley

Three Lilies Swaying Left

Sale Date: June 5, 2018

Auction Closed

Shelter

Aubrey Beardsley

Sale Date: June 5, 2018

Auction Closed

Comedy-Ballet of Marionettes (+ The Eyes of...

Aubrey Beardsley

Comedy-Ballet of Marionettes (+ The Eyes of...

Sale Date: May 3, 2018

Auction Closed

DESIGN FOR THE FRONT AND FIRST PAGE OF THE SAVOY

Aubrey Beardsley

DESIGN FOR THE FRONT AND FIRST PAGE OF THE SAVOY

Sale Date: November 21, 2017

Auction Closed

Serie completa di 8 tavole per The..., 1896

Aubrey Beardsley

Serie completa di 8 tavole per The..., 1896

Sale Date: October 9, 2017

Auction Closed

Chapter Heading for Book V, Chapter X of Le...

Aubrey Beardsley

Chapter Heading for Book V, Chapter X of Le...

Sale Date: September 26, 2017

Auction Closed

Three Stylized Leaves * Two Dog Roses

Aubrey Beardsley

Three Stylized Leaves * Two Dog Roses

Sale Date: September 29, 2016

Auction Closed

Four Large Lilies

Aubrey Beardsley

Four Large Lilies

Sale Date: September 29, 2016

Auction Closed

Three Stylized Clematis Flowers

Aubrey Beardsley

Three Stylized Clematis Flowers

Sale Date: September 29, 2016

Auction Closed

Rose Bush

Aubrey Beardsley

Sale Date: September 29, 2016

Auction Closed

Aubrey Beardsley Illustration Découpage...

Aubrey Beardsley

Aubrey Beardsley Illustration Découpage...

Sale Date: June 7, 2017

Auction Closed

Spiky Leaves on a Stem

Aubrey Beardsley

Spiky Leaves on a Stem" [Convolvulus leaf

Sale Date: March 21, 2017

Auction Closed

Bunches of Grapes and Leaves

Aubrey Beardsley

Bunches of Grapes and Leaves

Sale Date: March 21, 2017

Auction Closed

Squatting Devil Fishing

Aubrey Beardsley

Squatting Devil Fishing

Sale Date: March 21, 2017

Auction Closed

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