TO A NOBLE COMPANIONSHIP

H. M.

“I have one aim—the grotesque. If I am not grotesque I am nothing.”

“I may claim to have some command of line. I try to get as much as possible out of a single curve or straight line.”

[AUBREY BEARDSLEY.]

CONTENTS

FOREWORD[17]
[I:]BIRTH AND FAMILY23
[II:]CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL27
“THE PUERILIA”
[III:]YOUTH IN LONDON AS A CITY CLERK35
Mid-1888 to Mid-1891—Sixteen to Nineteen
THE “JUVENILIA” AND THE “SCRAP BOOK”
[IV:]FORMATIVE PERIOD OF DISCIPLESHIP42
Mid-1891 to Mid-1892—Nineteen to Twenty
THE “BURNE-JONESESQUES”
[V:]BEARDSLEY BECOMES AN ARTIST58
Mid-1892 to Mid-1893—Twenty to Twenty-one
MEDIÆVALISM AND THE HAIRY-LINE JAPANESQUES
“LE MORTE D’ARTHUR” AND “BON MOTS”
[VI:]THE JAPANESQUES95
Mid-1893 to the New Year of 1894—Twenty-one
“SALOME”
[VII:]THE GREEK VASE PHASE113
New Year of 1894 to Mid-1895—Twenty-one to Twenty-three
“THE YELLOW BOOK”
[VIII:]THE GREAT PERIOD159
“THE SAVOY” AND THE AQUATINTESQUES
Mid-1895 to Yuletide 1896—Twenty-three to Twenty-four
I. “THE SAVOY”
[IX:]THE GREAT PERIOD234
ESSAYS IN WASH AND LINE
1897 to the End—Twenty-five
II. THE AQUATINTESQUES
[X:]THE END260
1898
A KEY TO THE DATES OF WORKS BY BEARDSLEY [269]

ILLUSTRATIONS

PORTRAIT OF AUBREY BEARDSLEY by F. H. Evans[Frontispiece]
SELF-PORTRAIT OF AUBREY BEARDSLEY[25]
HOLYWELL STREET[33]
HAIL MARY[60]
PENCIL SKETCH OF A CHILD[67]
HOW QUEEN GUENEVER MADE HER A NUN[71]
“OF A NEOPHYTE....”[85]
HEADPIECE FROM “LE MORTE D’ARTHUR”[92]
THE PEACOCK SKIRT[94]
THE STOMACH DANCE[103]
TITLE-PAGE OF “SALOME”[108]
COVER DESIGN FOR “THE YELLOW BOOK” VOLUME III[112]
LA DAME AUX CAMÉLIAS[115]
MESSALINA[121]
PORTRAIT OF HIMSELF[125]
NIGHT PIECE[129]
PORTRAIT OF MRS. PATRICK CAMPBELL[136]
THE MYSTERIOUS ROSE GARDEN[139]
DESIGN FOR AN INVITATION CARD[143]
THE SCARLET PASTORALE[149]
ATALANTA[153]
TITLE PAGE FROM “THE SAVOY” NOS. I AND II[158]
FRONTISPIECE FOR “VENUS AND TANNHÄUSER”[161]
THE MIRROR OF LOVE [165]
A CATALOGUE COVER[169]
ON DIEPPE BEACH (THE BATHERS)[173]
THE ABBÉ[175]
THE FRUIT BEARERS[179]
CHRISTMAS CARD[181]
THE THREE MUSICIANS[185]
TAILPIECE TO “THE THREE MUSICIANS”[186]
COVER DESIGN FROM “THE SAVOY” NO. I[189]
THE BILLET DOUX[191]
THE TOILET[195]
THE RAPE OF THE LOCK[197]
THE BATTLE OF THE BEAUX AND THE BELLES[201]
THE BARON’S PRAYER[203]
THE COIFFING[207]
COVER DESIGN FOR “THE SAVOY” NO. IV[209]
COVER DESIGN FOR “THE SAVOY” NO. VII[213]
FRONTISPIECE TO “PIERROT OF THE MINUTE”[215]
HEADPIECE: PIERROT WITH THE HOUR-GLASS[219]
TAILPIECE TO “PIERROT OF THE MINUTE”[220]
A REPETITION OF “TRISTAN UND ISOLDE”[223]
FRONTISPIECE TO “THE COMEDY OF THE RHINEGOLD”[225]
ATALANTA—WITH THE HOUND[229]
BEARDSLEY’S BOOK-PLATE[231]
THE LADY WITH THE MONKEY[235]
COVER DESIGN FOR “THE FORTY THIEVES”[241]
ALI BABA IN THE WOOD[245]
COVER DESIGN FOR “VOLPONE”[249]
INITIAL FOR “VOLPONE”[255]
THE DEATH OF PIERROT[261]
AVE ATQUE VALE[270]

FOREWORD