| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Pen and ink on paper |
| Brief description | Drawing by Aubrey Beardsley, design for a mask to be stamped in gold on the spines of 'Scenes of Parisian Life' from 'La Comédie Humaine' by Honoré de Balzac, in eleven volumes, published by Leonard Smithers, pen and ink on paper, London, 1897 |
| Physical description | A drawing in black ink on white paper depicting a devilish mask. |
| Dimensions | - Sheet height: 7.3cm
- Sheet width: 5.1cm
- Image height: 67mm
- Image width: 48mm
Pasted onto sheet: 20.6 x 18.3 cm |
| Credit line | Purchased with Art Fund support |
| Object history | This design was used on the spine of Honoré Balzac's 'Scenes of Parisian Life' which was published by Leonard Smithers in London, 1897.
According to Stephen Calloway in his book Aubrey Beardsley. London: V & A Publications, 1998, p. 170: 'This design of an exotic mask was repeated on the spine of all the volumes of the series. Beardsley also drew a boldly stylised portrait of Balzac, one of his literary heroes, for the upper covers.' |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Associations | |
| Literary reference | 'Scenes of Parisian Life' by Balzac |
| Bibliographic references | - Calloway, Stephen. Aubrey Beardsley. London: V & A Publications, 1998. 224pp, illus. ISBN: 1851772197.
- 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:
1071
Mask
January - February 1897
Victoria and Albert Museum, London (E.333-1972)
Pen, Indian ink and brush over pencil on white wove paper secured to backing with slotted hinges; 2 5/8 x 2 1/16 inches (72 x 52 mm).
INSCRIPTIONS: Verso in pencil [where accessible]: Smither / Royal Arcade / W / 3.30 / E.333-1972
PROVENANCE: Leonard Smithers; Christie’s (London) sale 12 January 1900 (121); bt. Edwardes; J. H. Murray; Anthony d’Offay (art dealer); bt. W. G. Good (c.1960); bt. R. A. Harari c. 1962, by descent to Michael Harari; bt. Victoria and Albert Museum in 1972 with the aid of a contribution from the National Art Collections Fund.
EXHIBITION: London 1898 (186, where titled ‘The Mask of Comedy’); 1966-8 (552); New York 1967 (213); Tokyo 1983 (107); Rome 1985 (16.9).
LITERATURE: Vallance 1909 (131, where listed ‘for the reverse of cover’); Gallatin 1945 (no 948. Where titled ‘Faun’); Reade 1967 (p. 362, n. 481); ‘Letters’ 1970 (pp. 249, 250); Samuels Lasner 1995 (no.116).
REPRODUCED: On spine of ‘La Comedie Humaine’ by Honore de Balzac, 11 volumes, published by Leonard Smithers in 1897; ‘Later Work’ 1901 (no. 160); Reade 1967 (plate.481).
The ornament for Honore de Balzac’s novels ‘Scenes of Parisian Life’ was stamped in gold on the spine of the eleven volumes published in 1897 by Smithers in the series ‘La Comedie Humaine’. Beardsley sent this drawing to Smithers in a letter postmarked 9 February 1897, ‘Here is, my dear Smithers, the backlet for Balzac, which I hope will suit’ (‘Letters; 1970, p. 249). About the lines of the drawing, he asks the publisher to ‘Let me know if the white lines should be firmer. I didn’t like to make them too hard’ (p. 249). Smithers must have approved of the drawing the way it was, for on 11 February 1897, Beardsley responds ‘Glad you like the masque’ (p. 250). When he completed the head of Balzac, he sent instructions to Smithers for the placement of each design on the covers (see no. 1072 below). The curved and dotted lines resemble the water in the frontispiece for ‘The Comedy of the Rhinegold’ (no. 1020 above) and, by curving the lines high, as if there were two waves, and bringing them sharply down at the right edge, Beardsley achieved a sense of movement to the right. The direction of the lines matches the cap worn by the figure and reinforces the sense of movement. Without offering any proof, Walker maintains that Beardsley made a mask for Milton’s closet drama ‘Comus’, but that Smithers used it for Balzac (WA).
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