BBC History UK 04.2020

When did you first come across

Aubrey Beardsley (1872–98)?

I discovered Beardsley through becoming

interested in Oscar Wilde. I was about 16

or 17, I think, deeply pretentious and all

about baggy cardigans, eyeliner and long

fringes! In a way, Beardsley was the

poster-boy for we ‘bedroom decadents’:

the scandalous subject matter, the obvious

snook-cocking at the establishment and

the doomed trajectory of the consumptive

artist. I was completely knocked out by his

style (or styles) and his mastery of line.

How profoundly did Beardsley’s

childhood shape him?

His father was very absent, almost invisible,

making his mother and sister the dominant

figures in his early life. But it was a

diagnosis of tuberculosis at age seven that

really changed things. It wasn’t necessarily

a death sentence but it was clear that this

delicate, unusual boy had a very different

life in prospect.

What were the most important creative

influences on him?

The Pre-Raphaelites were the most

obvious early influence but it was Edward

Burne-Jones [1833–98] – whose pale,

etiolated figures feature prominently in

Beardsley’s early work – who had the

greatest impact. Burne-Jones held open-

house days in his studio, and Beardsley

and his sister went along to one, with

Aubrey ‘just happening’ to have a portfolio

of his drawings with him. The older artist

gave his verdict: “I seldom or never advise

anyone to take up art as a profession, but in

your case I can do nothing else.”

The next most telling influence was

Japanese art, especially Ukiyo-e [wood-

block] prints. It’s clear how much Japanese

illustration, with its astonishing use of

negative space, flat blocks of colour (or

black), and grotesque, often erotic, imagery

fired Beardsley’s imagination. But all his

many influences were filtered through his

own extraordinary imagination, creating

something unique to him.

What was he like in person?

Witty, catty, other. His haunting physical

appearance disturbed many. My favourite

picture of him is by Walter Sickert, perfect-

ly capturing his supernatural skinniness

and frailty. But Beardsley is an incredibly

modern figure. He created himself and his

brand and constantly evolved to keep

everyone guessing.

If there’s one piece of work you’d

highlight, which would it be?

The Wagnerites [below]. It’s just stunning.

Huge areas of pure black, then acreage of

backless female shoulders and just the

tiniest suggestion of white to delineate the

seats. It’s astonishingly bold. 

Scandal and Beauty: Mark Gatiss on Aubrey

Beardsley is due to be shown on BBC Four

on 30 March

“Aubrey Beardsley is an incredibly

modern figure. He constantly evolved

to keep everyone guessing”

The League of Gentlemen star and Sherlock co-creator

MARK GATISS tells us why he so admires the Victorian

artist Aubrey Beardsley, whose tragically short life is the

subject of a new documentary he presents on BBC Four

BRITISH

LIBRARY,

COTTON

AUGUSTUS

III/ALAMY

VISIT

Tudor spectacle

In June 1520, Henry VIII and his

French counterpart, François I,

organised an extravagant festival

in the countryside near Calais.

Known as the Field of the Cloth of

Gold, the event – featuring jousting,

music and feasting – was intended

to celebrate the new-found peace

between the two nations and

strengthen diplomatic ties.

To mark the 500th anniversary

later this year, Hampton Court Palace

will be hosting a special exhibition

unpacking the history of the festival,

complete with a dazzling selection of

Tudor treasures and items on loan

from Parisian museums.

Highlights will include art, cos-

tumes and weaponry that appeared at

the Field of the Cloth of Gold itself, as

well as a never-before-seen tapestry

that sheds new light on people of

colour in the 16th century.

Between 23 and 31 May, the

exhibition will be accompanied by a

mini-festival that will aim to recreate

the atmosphere of the original event,

featuring authentic Tudor cuisine and

royal jousting matches.

Gold and Glory: Henry VIII

and the French King

Hampton Court Palace, Greater London / 10 April –

31 August / hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace

HISTORY ON THE BOX

Designs for tents at the Field of the Cloth of Gold.

The expensive fabric used to make the tents and

attendees’ costumes gave the event its name

Beardsley’s 1894 drawing

The Wagnerites, depicting

opera-goers at a performance

of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde

→

Whendid you first comeacross

AubreyBeardsley(1872–98)?

I discoveredBeardsleythroughbecoming

interestedinOscarWilde.I wasabout 16

or17,I think,deeplypretentiousandall

aboutbaggycardigans,eyelinerandlong

fringes!Ina way,Beardsleywasthe

poster-boyforwe‘bedroomdecadents’:

thescandaloussubjectmatter,theobvious

snook-cockingattheestablishmentand

thedoomedtrajectoryoftheconsumptive

artist.I wascompletelyknockedoutbyhis

style (or styles) and his mastery of line.

Howprofoundlydid Beardsley’s

childhoodshapehim?

Hisfatherwasveryabsent,almostinvisible,

makinghismotherandsisterthedominant

figuresinhisearlylife.Butit wasa

diagnosisoftuberculosisat ageseventhat

reallychangedthings.It wasn’tnecessarily

a deathsentencebutit wasclearthatthis

delicate,unusualboy had a very different

life in prospect.

Whatwerethe mostimportant creative

influenceson him?

ThePre-Raphaeliteswerethemost

obviousearlyinfluencebutit wasEdw

Burne-Jones[1833–98]– whosepale,

etiolatedfiguresfeatureprominentlyi

Beardsley’searlywork– whohadthe

greatestimpact.Burne-Jonesheldope

housedaysinhisstudio,andBeardsley

andhissisterwentalongtoone,with

Aubrey‘justhappening’tohavea portf

ofhisdrawingswithhim.Theolderart

gavehisverdict:“Iseldomorneveradvi

anyonetotakeupartasa profession, b

yourcaseI candonothingelse.”

Thenextmosttellinginfluencewas

Japaneseart,especiallyUkiyo-e[wood-

block]prints.It’sclearhowmuchJapan

illustration,withitsastonishinguseof

negativespace,flatblocksofcolour(or

black), and grotesque, often erotic, imag

firedBeardsley’simagination.Butallhis

manyinfluenceswerefilteredthroughhis

ownextraordinaryimagination, creating

something unique to him.

Whatwas he like in person?

Witty,catty,other. Hishauntingphysical

appearancedisturbedmany.Myfavourite

pictureofhimis byWalterSickert,perfect-

ly capturinghissupernaturalskinniness

andfrailty.ButBeardsleyis anincredibly

modernfigure.Hecreatedhimselfandhis

brandandconstantlyevolved to keep

everyone guessing.

If there’sone pieceof workyou’d

highlight,whichwouldit be?

TheWagnerites[below].It’sjuststunning.

Hugeareasofpureblack,thenacreageof

backlessfemaleshouldersandjustthe

tiniestsuggestionofwhitetodelineate the

seats. It’s astonishingly bold. 

ScandalandBeauty:MarkGatissonAubrey

Beardsleyis due to be shown on BBC Four

on 30 March

“AubreyBeardsley is anincredibly

modernfigure. He constantlyevolved

to keep everyone guessing”

TheLeagueofGentlemenstarandSherlockco-creator

MARKGATISStellsuswhyhesoadmirestheVictorian

artistAubreyBeardsley,whosetragicallyshortlifeis the

subject of a new documentary he presents on BBC Four

BRITISH

LIBRARY,

COTTON

AUGUSTUS

III/ALAMY

VISIT

Tudorspectacle

In June1520,HenryVIII and his

Frenchcounterpart,FrançoisI,

organisedan extravagantfestival

in the countrysidenear Calais.

Knownas the Fieldof the Clothof

Gold,the event– featuringjousting,

musicand feasting– was intended

to celebratethe new-foundpeace

betweenthe two nationsand

strengthendiplomaticties.

Tomarkthe 500thanniversary

later this year,HamptonCourtPalace

will be hostinga specialexhibition

unpackingthe historyof the festival,

completewith a dazzlingselectionof

Tudortreasuresand itemson loan

fromParisianmuseums.

Highlightswill includeart, cos-

tumesand weaponrythat appearedat

the Fieldof the Clothof Gold itself,as

well as a never-before-seentapestry

that shedsnew light on peopleof

colourin the 16th century.

Between23 and 31 May,the

exhibitionwill be accompaniedby a

mini-festivalthat will aim to recreate

the atmosphereof the originalevent,

featuringauthenticTudorcuisine and

royal jousting matches.

GoldandGlory:HenryVIII

andtheFrenchKing

HamptonCourtPalace,GreaterLondon/ 10 April–

31 August/hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace

HISTORY ON THE BOX

Designsfortentsat theFieldof theClothof Gold.

Theexpensivefabricusedto makethetentsand

attendees’ costumes gave the event its name

Beardsley’s 1894 drawing

TheWagnerites, depicting

opera-goersat a performance

of Wagner’sTristan und Isolde

→