Arthur Symons 
The Art of Aubrey Beardsley 

Arthur Symons’ ‘The Art of Aubrey Beardsley’ is a compelling analysis of the work of the infamous illustrator Aubrey Beardsley. Symons delves into Beardsley’s unique artistic style, characterized by intricate line work and a blend of the grotesque and the beautiful. Symons explores Beardsley’s contributions to the Aesthetic movement and his influence on Art Nouveau, highlighting the subversive and controversial nature of his art. The book offers a comprehensive survey of Beardsley’s major works, providing insight into his creative process and the themes that pervade his illustrations. Symons’ scholarly approach makes this book essential reading for anyone interested in art history or the fin de siecle period. Arthur Symons, a prominent literary critic and poet of the late 19th century, was known for his contributions to the Symbolist movement. His keen insight into the arts and his deep understanding of the cultural context of his time shines through in ‘The Art of Aubrey Beardsley’. Symons’ expertise in the field of art and literature makes him a reliable guide to Beardsley’s work. I highly recommend ‘The Art of Aubrey Beardsley’ to art enthusiasts, scholars, and anyone interested in the intersection of art and literature. Symons’ detailed analysis and thoughtful commentary make this book a valuable resource for understanding the significance of Beardsley’s legacy.

Over de auteur

Arthur Symons (1865-1945), a seminal figure in the Symbolist movement, was a versatile English poet, critic, and editor with an extensive oeuvre that enriched the literary world at the turn of the twentieth century. Symons’s literary style is characterized by its lyrical intensity, psychological nuance, and a fervent appreciation for aestheticism and decadence. His pivotal work ‘The Symbolist Movement in Literature’ (1899) profoundly influenced modernist writers. Symons had a particularly keen interest in the visual arts, which is exemplified by his book ‘The Art of Aubrey Beardsley’ (1898). This work not only showcases Beardsley’s evocative and controversial illustrations but also underscores Symons’s deep understanding and critical appreciation of art and its interplay with literature. Symons’s passion for the avant-garde and his advocacy for Beardsley’s work helped solidify Beardsley’s position within the artistic canon of his time. Symons’s aesthetic sensibilities and his talent for capturing the peculiar mood of the fin de siècle period make his contributions to art criticism as valuable as his poetic and literary endeavors.