The Wagnerites
Print
May 1893-June 1894 (drawn), October 1894 (first published)
May 1893-June 1894 (drawn), October 1894 (first published)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Print depicting a stylised image showing men and women, many with elaborate coiffures, seated in an opera house. On the balcony there are three seated women and two standing men. A programme that has fallen onto the floor lettered 'TRISTAN AND ISOLDE' is visible in the bottom right corner.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Title | The Wagnerites (assigned by artist) |
Materials and techniques | Line block print |
Brief description | 'The Wagnerites', line block printed illustration by Aubrey Beardsley for 'The Yellow Book', Vol. III, October 1894 |
Physical description | Print depicting a stylised image showing men and women, many with elaborate coiffures, seated in an opera house. On the balcony there are three seated women and two standing men. A programme that has fallen onto the floor lettered 'TRISTAN AND ISOLDE' is visible in the bottom right corner. |
Dimensions |
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Style | |
Marks and inscriptions | TRISTAN UND ISOLDE |
Credit line | Given by Frederick H. Evans |
Object history | This illustration was reproduced as no. III in 'Four Drawings by Aubrey Beardsley' in 'The Yellow Book', vol. III, October 1894. According to Stephen Calloway in his book Aubrey Beardsley. London: V & A Publications, 1998, p. 103: 'Beardsley had an obsessive interest in Wagner, and avidly attended the London performances of the works. This depiction of the Wagnerian audience rather than the action of the opera identified by the fallen programme as Tristan and Isolde, is one of the greatest masterpieces of Beardsley's manière noire. Sickert claimed to have warned him that the drawings in which the area of black exceeded that of white paper were bound to fail artistically, and to have 'convinced him' of the truth of this aesthetic rule. Fortunately Beardsley seems to have ignored the advice.' |
Associated objects |
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Collection | |
Accession number | E.15-1900 |
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Record created | June 30, 2009 |
Record URL |
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