Aubrey Beardsley at 150

Decadent & Brilliant

The Grolier Club in New York City, America’s oldest and largest society for bibliophiles, presents a special exhibition of the daring and influential work of the British artist Aubrey Beardsley, on the anniversary of his 150th birthday.¹ Aubrey Beardsley, 150 Years Young, is on view from September 8 through November 12, 2022, in the Grolier Club’s second floor gallery., will explore the meteoric rise of Beardsley (1872–1898), a monumental figure in book and magazine illustration, graphic arts and poster design, as well as the history of gender and sexuality.

1872–1898

Aubrey Vincent Beardsley was an English illustrator and author.² His black ink drawings were influenced by Japanese woodcuts, and depicted the grotesque, the decadent, and the erotic. He was a leading figure in the aesthetic movement which also included Oscar Wilde and James McNeill Whistler. Beardsley's contribution to the development of the Art Nouveau and poster styles was significant despite his early death from tuberculosis.

1. Aubrey Beardsley Exhibition to Open in NYC this Fall. Fine Arts and Collections. (July 18, 2022).

2. The Aubrey Beardsley Society.

Benkovitz, Miriam J. 1980. Aubrey Beardsley, an Account of his Life. New York, N.Y.: Putnam.