The Death of Pierrot 1896

Aubrey Beardsley made this drawing using ink on paper. It is starkly rendered in black and white, every line precise and considered. Look at how the textures are described: from the frills of the costumes to the lace trimming of the bed canopy. Notice the density of these patterns, and the way they contrast with the expanses of empty space. Beardsley was a master of line and form, using his medium to create images of striking beauty and decadent wit. His drawings often featured themes of sexuality, death, and artifice. He took inspiration from sources as diverse as Japanese prints, classical mythology, and the French Symbolist movement. Beardsley was a key figure in the Aesthetic movement, which championed art for art's sake. Yet his work also engages with wider social issues of labor, politics, and consumption. Beardsley's skill in rendering such intricate details reminds us of the labor that went into creating such luxury items, and invites us to consider the complex relationship between art, commerce, and society.