Design for Title Page
Print
1893 (drawn), 1894 (first published), 1907 (published)
1893 (drawn), 1894 (first published), 1907 (published)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Black and white line block print on Japanese vellum depicting a priapic herm on the left of the image flanked by two lit candles, whilst the Greek god of love, Eros, or Amor, kneels below to the right. There is a stylised butterfly in the lower right hand corner. Above this is an empty rectangle for the title page text. The rest of the image is filled with floral and foliate motifs, entwining and surrounding the figures.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Titles |
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| Materials and techniques | Line block print on Japanese vellum |
| Brief description | Print by Aubrey Beardsley, 'Design for Title Page', plate II from 'A Portfolio of Aubrey Beardsley's drawings illustrating 'Salome' by Oscar Wilde', published by John Lane, London, 1907, line block print on Japanese vellum |
| Physical description | Black and white line block print on Japanese vellum depicting a priapic herm on the left of the image flanked by two lit candles, whilst the Greek god of love, Eros, or Amor, kneels below to the right. There is a stylised butterfly in the lower right hand corner. Above this is an empty rectangle for the title page text. The rest of the image is filled with floral and foliate motifs, entwining and surrounding the figures. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions | 'PLATE II' (Printed text in the lower left hand corner of the sheet.) |
| Credit line | Given by Michael Harari, in memory of his father, Ralph A. Harari |
| Object history | From 'A Portfolio of Aubrey Beardsley's drawings illustrating 'Salome' by Oscar Wilde'. Second issue. Published by John Lane, London [1907]. With contents sheet in letterpress and 17 plates [E.422 to 438-1972] in a portfolio of grey-green paper boards, half bound in vellum, with green silk tapes, stamped in gold with title and the rose-bush motif from the 1894 edition. With the stamp of A. Lang Buchhandlung Moskau inside the front cover. The plates are no longer in the portfolio but are now mounted separately. According to Stephen Calloway in his book, Aubrey Beardsley, London: V&A Publications, 1998, p. 73: 'Beardsley conceded that in its original state the drawing was 'impossible' for booksellers to display. In all earlier editions the genitalia of the priapic herm and the little worshipping Amor were deleted for the sake of propriety.' |
| Production | First printed in 1894; this print is from the second edition, 1907. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Association | |
| Literary reference | Oscar Wilde's 'Salome' |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Other number | Plate II - Plate number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.423-1972 |
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| Record created | June 30, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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