This image was taken from Oscar Wilde’s work “Salome: A tragedy in one act”. Appropriately titled “The Climax”, this illustration appears in the final moments of the story and offers a striking conclusion to the tale. The work itself was created by illustrator Aubrey Berdsely and was first featured in a late publication of Salome’s english edition in 1894. Beardsley’s work as an illustrator draws a lot of inspiration from the pre-raphaelite movement and his unique black and white ink drawings allowed him to carve out his own distinctive style. Beardsley’s work evokes comparison to Japanese art which encourages the use of flat spatial planes and a sparse use of detail. The Image shown above was printed on Japanese Vellum (a paper like material made from animal skin). In “The Climax” Beardsley minimalistic style is used to full effect reducing visual clutter and utilizing large areas of black ink to produce a balanced and distinctive image. Oscar Wilde’s “Salome” was the source of much outrage in late nineteenth century england. Much of this was due to Beardsley’s images which bring to light the various repressed aspects of English culture during the Victorian era. Subjects like religion and sexuality were not things that Wilde shied away from in his work and those same themes are embodied fully in Beardsley’s images. “The Climax” depicts the moment when Salmoe cradles the severed head of Jokanaan in her hands as she approaches for one last kiss. This image is rich with thematic symbolism and callbacks to previous events of the play all of which work harmoniously to create a climactic visual. The giant moon in the background which envelopes the two characters is a suggestive representation of “The Woman in the Moon” an illustration that appeared earlier in the story. Furthermore, the circular design in the top left of the page alludes to the peacock feathers in “The Eyes of Herod” which Salome refused to accept in place of Iokanaan’s head. One of the central themes of the play is the exploration of sexuality, lust and vanity. Within this image those ideas are characterized clearly within the depiction of Salome. Her hair is curled and coiled in a snake-like fashion that evokes images of medusa from greek myth, symbolizing her power over men. Beardsley’s interpretation of “Salome” and his work on “The Climax” work in tandem with Wilde’s writing to create an incredibly layered and thematically deep tale that pushes the boundaries of what was deemed acceptable in British society during the late nineteenth century.
Source:
Victorian Web. < http://www.victorianweb.org/ >. Web. 10/26/2020.