Beardsley’s illustrations for Oscar Wilde’s Salomé (1984) show great examples of the influence he gained from Japanese art, in the dress and detailing, and illuminate his contribution to the decadent art movement of the 1800’s. The Dancer’s Reward is perhaps one of the more notable pieces in the play when concerning decadence. Comparing the faces of Salomé and the decapitated St. John the Baptist, there is to be seen, hints of the “effeminate men and monstrous women” that pushed against the Victorian norm and were a staple in decadent art (Teukolsky 643).
Work Cited
Beardsley, Aubrey. The Dancer’s Reward, 1894, Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Salomé, by Oscar Wilde, ed. 2, John Lane, 1907.
Teukolsky, Rachel. “On the Politics of Decadent Rebellion: Beardsley, Japonisme, Rococo.” Victorian Literature and Culture, vol. 49, iss. 4, 2021, pp. 643. https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/10.1017/S1060150320000182. Accessed December 6, 2024