Under the hill Pl.07
1904
Aubrey Beardsley was the ultimate bad boy of the Art Nouveau world, and this illustration from his unfinished tale 'Under the Hill' captures his signature mix of innocence and mischief. Published posthumously in 1904, the image features two figures in ridiculously voluminous, polka-dotted dresses—one is practically tumbling into the grassy foreground while the other stands poised with a fan. Beardsley used stark black ink and intricate stippling to create this high-contrast world, blending a dense forest background with the delicate frills of their clothing. He was only 25 when tuberculosis took him, leaving this story (based on the legend of Tannhäuser) forever incomplete, much like his brilliant, short life.
- Technique
- Pen and ink drawing
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