Tailpiece 1893

Editor: This is Aubrey Beardsley's "Tailpiece," undated, currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. The figures, rendered in stark black and white, feel so unsettling. What is your interpretation of the composition? Curator: Note how Beardsley orchestrates a deliberate tension between the organic and the geometric. Observe the curvilinear forms of the figures juxtaposed against the sharp, stylized lines of the patterned vase and decorative elements. Editor: Yes, I see that now! The stark contrast really emphasizes those differences. Curator: Indeed. Furthermore, consider how the artist employs asymmetry to destabilize conventional notions of beauty. Does the disjunction serve to amplify the overall sense of unease? Editor: It definitely does. I’ll pay more attention to how artists use asymmetry from now on. Thanks! Curator: You are welcome. Examining these formal qualities reveals so much.