Aubrey Beardsley's 1892 Illustration 'The Peacock Skirt' for Oscar Wilde's Salomé
In 1892, illustrator Aubrey Beardsley created 'The Peacock Skirt' for Oscar Wilde's play Salomé. Wilde selected Beardsley after seeing his initial drawing of Salomé holding John the Baptist's head. The artwork features an androgynous figure with elaborate peacock feather patterns, reflecting Art Nouveau style and symbolic themes of sensuality and power. Many of Beardsley's illustrations were considered scandalous and faced censorship. The piece is held at Harvard Art Museum in Cambridge and became iconic, influencing Belle Époque visual aesthetics.
Key facts
- Aubrey Beardsley illustrated Oscar Wilde's Salomé in 1892
- The artwork 'The Peacock Skirt' depicts an androgynous figure with peacock feather designs
- Beardsley's illustrations were criticized as pornographic and censored
- The piece exemplifies Art Nouveau with stylized natural forms and symbolic imagery
- The artwork is housed at Harvard Art Museum in Cambridge
Entities
Artists
Institutions
- Harvard Art Museum
Locations
- Cambridge