Fin-de-Siècle Theatre in Ink

Beardsley, Aubrey (1872–1898) - Illustrator

'Enter Herodias' [Salomé Illustration] [Art Nouveau Masterwork]

Enter Herodias
Aubrey Beardsley • Salomé Illustration • Bodley Head • 1907
A striking black-and-white line block illustration of ‘Enter Herodias’, after Aubrey Beardsley, originally created in 1894 for Oscar Wilde’s play Salomé.

The composition presents the imposing figure of Herodias, rendered with Beardsley’s signature elongation and stylization, surrounded by a grotesque and theatrical cast—attendants, symbolic figures, and distorted forms that heighten the psychological tension of Wilde’s drama. The interplay of satire, eroticism, and ritualized staging exemplifies Beardsley’s ability to fuse narrative and design into a single graphic statement.

DETAILS:
+++ Title: Enter Herodias
+++ Artist: Aubrey Beardsley
+++ Original Date: 1894
+++ Publication: John Lane, The Bodley Head (London), 1907
+++ Medium: Line block illustration on Japan vellum
+++ Image Size: Approximately 8.5 by 7 inches
+++ Presentation: Matted to 8 by 10 inches, ready for framing

CONTENT HIGHLIGHTS:
+++ Key illustration from Beardsley’s celebrated Salomé portfolio
+++ Central figure of Herodias surrounded by grotesque and symbolic attendants
+++ Strong narrative composition with multiple interacting figures
+++ Bold black-and-white contrast with intricate linear detailing
+++ Exemplifies Beardsley’s satirical, erotic, and theatrical Art Nouveau style

CONDITION: Very Good. The impression remains strong with crisp, well-defined line work. Light, even age-toning to the sheet. Minor edge wear consistent with removal from a bound volume. Matted and ready for framing; enhances contrast and ensures long-term preservation.

Historical Context —
Created in 1894 for Oscar Wilde’s Salomé, ‘Enter Herodias’ stands among the most visually complex and theatrically charged illustrations in Aubrey Beardsley’s body of work. Produced during the height of the Decadent movement, these images challenged Victorian norms through their stylization, symbolism, and provocative undertones.

Published posthumously in Bodley Head editions such as this 1907 issue, Beardsley’s illustrations helped define the emerging visual language of Art Nouveau and influenced generations of illustrators and designers. This plate, with its layered figural arrangement and satirical edge, demonstrates the full range of his graphic imagination.

Subjects: Aubrey Beardsley, Salomé, Herodias, Oscar Wilde, Art Nouveau illustration, Decadent movement, fin-de-siècle art, Bodley Head publications, black and white line art, Art, Illustration, Decorative Arts, Ephemera

Item #21819

Price: $125.00