Aubrey Beardsley was a prominent English illustrator and key figure in the Aestheticism movement of the late 19th century.
Born in Brighton, Sussex, in 1872 Beardsley developed an early passion for drawing, pursuing it while working as a clerk. His artistic talent led to a meeting with the renowned artist Sir Edward Burne-Jones in 1891, who encouraged Beardsley to attend the Westminster School of Art. Though his formal training was brief, it set him on a path to becoming a leading illustrator.

In the 1890s, Beardsley’s work gained widespread recognition. His illustrations for the 1893 edition of “Le Morte Darthur” by Sir Thomas Malory marked his early success, and he soon became the art editor of the influential quarterly “The Yellow Book”. Beardsley’s illustrations, particularly for Oscar Wilde’s “Salomé” (1894), brought him both fame and controversy, due to his bold, sensual style and the provocative portrayal of eroticism. His work, inspired by Art Nouveau and Japanese woodcuts, often featured intricate lines and a starkly modern aesthetic, drawing the attention of the London art scene.

Beardsley’s connection to London’s art world deepened through his involvement in the Aestheticism movement, which championed “art for art's sake” and rejected conventional moralism in favour of beauty and sensuality. However, his relationship with Aestheticism became complicated in 1895, when Oscar Wilde’s scandalous trial, accusing the writer of “homosexual activities”, tarnished the movement's reputation. Beardsley was dismissed from “The Yellow Book”, but he continued to work as an illustrator for “The Savoy” and other publications, while producing iconic illustrations for works such as “The Rape of the Lock”.

Despite his ill health, suffering from tuberculosis since childhood, Beardsley’s artistic output remained prolific until his death in 1898 at just 25. (ss)