Caricature of J.M. Whistler 

Aubrey Beardsley created this line drawing, a caricature of J.M. Whistler, in the 1890s. At the time, Whistler was an established figure in the British art world. He was known for his impressionistic paintings and his flamboyant persona. Beardsley, on the other hand, was an up-and-coming artist associated with the Aesthetic movement. He would have been expected to show Whistler due respect. Instead, he mocked Whistler’s artistic style and public image through caricature. Note the exaggerated features, such as the monocle, the shock of hair, and the affected pose. Beardsley references Whistler’s famous “butterfly” signature in the drawing, but distorts and ridicules it. Beardsley's caricature can be seen as a critique of the art establishment. By satirizing Whistler, Beardsley was challenging the accepted norms of artistic representation, and perhaps poking fun at the institutions that supported Whistler's success. Art historians consult letters, biographies, and publications of the time to understand the nuances of such a work. The meaning of a work of art is always bound up with its social and institutional context.