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Le Morte Darthur thumbnail 2
Not currently on display at the V&A

Le Morte Darthur

Drawing
ca.1893-4 (made)
Artist/Maker
Aubrey Beardsley (artist)
Place of origin
London (made)

A drawing in black ink on white paper depicting two winged figures kneeling on either side of the image. Between the figures is a sinuous plant-like from. On the back is a graphite drawing of a male figure, holding a dagger, descending a staircase (c.1892).


Object details

Categories
Drawings
Books
Illustration
Myths & Legends
Designs
Object type
Drawing
TitleLe Morte Darthur (series title)
Materials and techniques
Pen and ink on paper
Paper
Pen and Indian Ink
Drawing
Brief description
Drawing by Aubrey Beardsley, design for a headpiece to the preface of Thomas Malory's Le Morte Darthur, vol. I., pen and ink on paper, London, 1893-4
Physical description
A drawing in black ink on white paper depicting two winged figures kneeling on either side of the image. Between the figures is a sinuous plant-like from. On the back is a graphite drawing of a male figure, holding a dagger, descending a staircase (c.1892).
Dimensions
  • Sheet height: 9.5cm
  • Sheet width: 22.9cm
  • Image height: 87mm
  • Image width: 220mm
Pasted onto sheet: 20.3 x 33.2 cm
Object history
Beardsley was commissioned by J. M. Dent to produce illustrations for his intended republication of Malory's romantic tale 'Le Morte Darthur'; it was Beardsley's first commission. This design was for the headpiece to the preface of Volume I of 'Le Morte Darthur' which was published between 1893-4 by Dent.
Subject depicted
Winged Figures
Associations
J.M. Dent & Sons Ltd.
Thomas Malory
Literary reference'Le Morte Darthur' by Thomas Malory
Bibliographic references
  • Calloway, Stephen. Aubrey Beardsley. London: V & A Publications, 1998. 224pp, illus. ISBN: 1851772197. chapter 3
  • Linda Gertner Zatlin, Aubrey Beardsley : a catalogue raisonne. New Haven : Yale University Press, [2016] 2 volumes (xxxi, [1], 519, [1] pages; xi, [1], 547, [1] pages) : illustrations (some color) ; 31 cm. ISBN: 9780300111279 The entry is as follows: 515r Two Angels Headpiece for the Preface By 22 August 1893 Victoria and Albert Museum, London (D.1823-1904) Pen and Indian ink over pencil on white wove paper (verso: pen and ink); 3 3/4 x 9 1/8 inches (96 x 232 mm). INSCRIPTIONS: Recto at lower right: [collector’s stamp, circled]; Verso in pencil: 570 / 4 / 97 / [in black ink]: D.1823-1904 / [in pencil]: Reduce to 4 ⅜ wide / 12 3/2 6 ½ / ¾ blk recto. FLOWERS: Rose [ball type] (love, passion), stylised branches. PROVENANCE: J. M. Dent; Frederick H. Evans; bt. Curtis Gallery (‘sold to South Kensington’, FHE, n.d.); bt. Victoria and Albert Museum on 9 November 1904. EXHIBITION: London 1966-8 (218); Tokyo 1983 (8); Munich 1984 (49); Rome 1985 (3.3). LITERATURE: Recto: Vallance 1897 (p.202), 1909 (no.59.xx); Gallatin 1945 (no. 345-624); Reade 1967 (p.316 n.58); Zatlin 1990 (p.72); Samuels Lasner 1995 (no.22); Zatlin 1997 (pp.190-1); Reade 1967 (p.325 n.162). REPRODUCED: Recto: Le Morte Darthur, 1893-4 (Preface page); Reade 1967 (plate 58). Verso: Reade 1967 (plate 163). In contrast to the stiffly seated angel at the right, the bearing of the angel at the left, whose posture evokes that in Leonardo da Vinci’s Annunciation (c.1472-5, Uffizi Gallery. Florence), is more relaxed, chin propped on her hand as if listening to a long story (thanks to Steven Hobbs for pointing out the connection). Beardsley’s motif of angels in these illustrations parallels Malory’s text which opposes good, depicted as angels, against evil, embodied in the shape of satyrs, fauns and roses redolent of sensuous worldly perfume (Zatlin 1997, pp.190-1). 515v Man ascending a Staircase Because he bends the figure’s back foot, Beardsley is able to suggest that the figure moves quickly down the stairs. The drawing is unusual because Beardsley made a firm pencil outline instead of an ink outline (Reade 1967, p.325 n.162). The instructions for the block-maker refer to the headpiece for the Preface (no.515r, above).
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
D.1823-1904

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O860383/le-morte-darthur-drawing-aubrey-beardsley/
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