AUBREY BEARDSLEY
Reading edition
THE CLOWN, THE HARLEQUIN,
THE PIERROT OF HIS AGE
PORTRAIT OF AUBREY BEARDSLEY
by F. H. Evans
AUBREY
BEARDSLEY
THE CLOWN, THE HARLEQUIN,
THE PIERROT OF HIS AGE
HALDANE MACFALL
NEW YORK
SIMON AND SCHUSTER
MCMXXVII
COPYRIGHT, 1927, BY SIMON AND SCHUSTER, INC.
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
TO
EARL E. FISK
THIS SMALL TRIBUTE
TO A NOBLE COMPANIONSHIP
H. M.
“I have one aim—the grotesque. If I am not grotesque I am nothing.”
“I may claim to have some command of line. I try to get as much as possible out of a single curve or straight line.”
[AUBREY BEARDSLEY.]
CONTENTS
FOREWORD 17
I: BIRTH AND FAMILY 23
II: CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL 27
“THE PUERILIA”
III: YOUTH IN LONDON AS A CITY CLERK 35
Mid-1888 to Mid-1891—Sixteen to Nineteen
THE “JUVENILIA” AND THE “SCRAP BOOK”
IV: FORMATIVE PERIOD OF DISCIPLESHIP 42
Mid-1891 to Mid-1892—Nineteen to Twenty
THE “BURNE-JONESESQUES”
V: BEARDSLEY BECOMES AN ARTIST 58
Mid-1892 to Mid-1893—Twenty to Twenty-one
MEDIÆVALISM AND THE HAIRY-LINE JAPANESQUES
“LE MORTE D’ARTHUR” AND “BON MOTS”
VI: THE JAPANESQUES 95
Mid-1893 to the New Year of 1894—Twenty-one
“SALOME”
VII: THE GREEK VASE PHASE 113
New Year of 1894 to Mid-1895—Twenty-one to Twenty-three
“THE YELLOW BOOK”
VIII: THE GREAT PERIOD 159
“THE SAVOY” AND THE AQUATINTESQUES
Mid-1895 to Yuletide 1896—Twenty-three to Twenty-four
I. “THE SAVOY”
IX: THE GREAT PERIOD 234
ESSAYS IN WASH AND LINE
1897 to the End—Twenty-five
II. THE AQUATINTESQUES
X: THE END 260
1898
A KEY TO THE DATES OF WORKS BY BEARDSLEY 269
ILLUSTRATIONS
PORTRAIT OF AUBREY BEARDSLEY by F. H. Evans Frontispiece
SELF-PORTRAIT OF AUBREY BEARDSLEY 25
HOLYWELL STREET 33
HAIL MARY 60
PENCIL SKETCH OF A CHILD 67
HOW QUEEN GUENEVER MADE HER A NUN 71
“OF A NEOPHYTE....” 85
HEADPIECE FROM “LE MORTE D’ARTHUR” 92
THE PEACOCK SKIRT 94
THE STOMACH DANCE 103
TITLE-PAGE OF “SALOME” 108
COVER DESIGN FOR “THE YELLOW BOOK” VOLUME III 112
LA DAME AUX CAMÉLIAS 115
MESSALINA 121
PORTRAIT OF HIMSELF 125
NIGHT PIECE 129
PORTRAIT OF MRS. PATRICK CAMPBELL 136
THE MYSTERIOUS ROSE GARDEN 139
DESIGN FOR AN INVITATION CARD 143
THE SCARLET PASTORALE 149
ATALANTA 153
TITLE PAGE FROM “THE SAVOY” NOS. I AND II 158
FRONTISPIECE FOR “VENUS AND TANNHÄUSER” 161
THE MIRROR OF LOVE 165
A CATALOGUE COVER 169
ON DIEPPE BEACH (THE BATHERS) 173
THE ABBÉ 175
THE FRUIT BEARERS 179
CHRISTMAS CARD 181
THE THREE MUSICIANS 185
TAILPIECE TO “THE THREE MUSICIANS” 186
COVER DESIGN FROM “THE SAVOY” NO. I 189
THE BILLET DOUX 191
THE TOILET 195
THE RAPE OF THE LOCK 197
THE BATTLE OF THE BEAUX AND THE BELLES 201
THE BARON’S PRAYER 203
THE COIFFING 207
COVER DESIGN FOR “THE SAVOY” NO. IV 209
COVER DESIGN FOR “THE SAVOY” NO. VII 213
FRONTISPIECE TO “PIERROT OF THE MINUTE” 215
HEADPIECE: PIERROT WITH THE HOUR-GLASS 219
TAILPIECE TO “PIERROT OF THE MINUTE” 220
A REPETITION OF “TRISTAN UND ISOLDE” 223
FRONTISPIECE TO “THE COMEDY OF THE RHINEGOLD” 225
ATALANTA—WITH THE HOUND 229
BEARDSLEY’S BOOK-PLATE 231
THE LADY WITH THE MONKEY 235
COVER DESIGN FOR “THE FORTY THIEVES” 241
ALI BABA IN THE WOOD 245
COVER DESIGN FOR “VOLPONE” 249
INITIAL FOR “VOLPONE” 255
THE DEATH OF PIERROT 261
AVE ATQUE VALE 270