Pierrot and cat, from St. Paul's 1893

Curator: What a peculiar pair. Aubrey Beardsley sketched "Pierrot and cat, from St. Paul's" in 1893 using pen and ink. What leaps out at you? Editor: It’s whimsical, almost gothic. The bold, solid black of the cat is unsettling against Pierrot's delicate outline. It’s like a shadow come to life. What did Beardsley want to explore here? Curator: I think it gets at the heart of Beardsley's obsession with duality. Pierrot, traditionally a figure of innocence and melancholy, juxtaposed with the inherently mysterious and often malevolent symbolism of a black cat. This simple image becomes incredibly potent. Editor: Black cats often represent the hidden feminine, right? Intuition, sensuality... and Pierrot's androgynous nature amplifies this tension. He's walking beside that energy but looking away from it. Curator: Exactly! Beardsley loved pushing boundaries of gender and sexuality, especially within established narratives. Here, he hints at an entire drama bubbling beneath the surface, suggested solely through minimalist line work and stark contrast. The St. Paul’s reference adds another layer, a sacred space invaded by… well, is it mischievousness or darkness? Editor: Perhaps a little of both! The way the cat’s body nearly merges with Pierrot's figure is especially compelling. It’s as if that darker side is a constant presence, an inseparable part of his being. Like he’s knowingly glancing toward chaos as his destiny. Curator: Maybe you're right. And yet, despite the starkness, the simplicity grants it such immediacy. I still come back to Beardsley’s knack for evoking strong feeling with such restraint. Editor: Agreed. Beardsley's enduring appeal surely lies in the questions his images ask, maybe even without him knowing, as if channeling something outside himself. This makes me think about the enduring symbols of cats, jesters, churches, the meanings behind the simplicity... food for thought!