Poster advertising 'The Spinster's Scrip' 

Aubrey Beardsley made this poster advertising 'The Spinster's Scrip' in England during the 1890s. The image uses black and white to create a composition with two women in conversation. The poster is indicative of the aesthetic and cultural sensibilities of the fin de siècle in Britain. It reflects the social and cultural anxieties around gender roles. The “spinster” was a figure of both ridicule and fascination. The poster presents an opportunity to explore how societal attitudes towards women were evolving at the time. The poster's style is influenced by Japanese prints and the French Symbolist movement, showing the cross-cultural influences shaping artistic production in England. By studying the historical context, we can better understand the complex interplay between art and society, and the role of art in shaping cultural attitudes. Researching the socio-economic factors that influenced attitudes to women is a good start.