COVE

Aubrey Beardsley's Illustrations were published within the first English edition of Salome by John Lane in 1894. These images were known to be greatly controversial during the Victorian era as they depicted scenes that were deemed as erotic, violent and inappropriate, but this was Beardsley's goal as he strived to defy the norms of the era. In 1893, a year before the publication of the English version of Salome, Beardsley was asked by a British newspaper to submit a single image to represent the story and was rejected immediately when he submitted "The Climax". The image above is one of the most controversial illustrations within the publication as it depicts Salome holding the decapitated head of Jakanaan (John the Baptist). The grotesque scene is surrounded by whimsical line work and intricate shapes, which was the technique Beardsley was most popularly known for as his work was unlike any other during the era. Starting from the top, the design in the left corner gives the viewer an idea of how unrealistic this image is meant to be, as it exudes an ethereal ambience that encompasses the meaning of climax and euphoria. Near the bottom of the image, the inclusion of a flower is placed there to incorporate femininity within the illustration, but it is growing out of a pool of blood that comes from the decapitated head of John the Baptist which is hard to ignore. The lustful and angry depiction of Salome disconnects the viewer from the femininity the image attempts to portray as women during the Victorian era were not meant to act this way, but the image depicts a very powerful woman nonetheless.