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The Eyes of Herod

Print
1893 (drawn), 1894 (first published), 1907 (published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Black and white line block print on Japanese vellum depicting the robed figure of Salome in the centre of the image, in a magnificent peacock-feathered headdress, with one breast exposed, who is gazing down at the simplified figure of Herod below her. As with E.422-1972, Beardsley has presented the caricatured features of Oscar Wilde in the face of Herod. To the lower right of the image are two putti who are holding an ornate candlestick, complete with lit candles, whilst on the left hand side of the design are two trees in front of a trellis covered in roses, behind which is a displaying stylised peacock. There is a stylised butterfly in the top left hand corner of the design.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Titles
  • The Eyes of Herod (generic title)
  • A Portfolio of Aubrey Beardsley's drawings illustrating 'Salome' by Oscar Wilde (series title)
Materials and techniques
Line block print on Japanese vellum
Brief description
Print by Aubrey Beardsley, 'The Eyes of Herod', plate X 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 the robed figure of Salome in the centre of the image, in a magnificent peacock-feathered headdress, with one breast exposed, who is gazing down at the simplified figure of Herod below her. As with E.422-1972, Beardsley has presented the caricatured features of Oscar Wilde in the face of Herod. To the lower right of the image are two putti who are holding an ornate candlestick, complete with lit candles, whilst on the left hand side of the design are two trees in front of a trellis covered in roses, behind which is a displaying stylised peacock. There is a stylised butterfly in the top left hand corner of the design.
Dimensions
  • Image height: 223mm
  • Image width: 162mm
  • Sheet height: 344mm
  • Sheet width: 274mm
Style
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'PLATE X' (Printed text in the lower left hand corner of the sheet.)
  • (Signed with the artist's monogram on the lower left hand side of the image.)
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.
Production
First printed in 1894; this print is from the second edition, 1907.
Association
Literary referenceOscar Wilde's 'Salome'
Associated object
Bibliographic references
  • Victoria and Albert Museum Department of Prints, Drawings and Paintings Accession Register for 1972
  • Calloway, Stephen. Aubrey Beardsley. London: V & A Publications, 1998. 224pp, illus. ISBN: 1851772197.
Other number
Plate X - Plate number
Collection
Accession number
E.431-1972

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
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