What was aubrey beardsley trying to show in his artwork?

Answer 1

Beardsley's art was inspired by books, music, and social commentary (mostly in the form of caricatures). Since he was an illustrator by trade, Beardsley took commissions based on classic books of the time, including "Le Morte Darthur", "The Rape of the Lock", and "Volpone". He was also inspired by music, primarily that of Wagner and Chopin, and often amused himself by caricaturing people he disliked (Oscar Wilde and Whistler, to name two). Interesting to note, though, is the fact that Beardsley rarely illustrated his books literally. He added touches of modern-day life and a slightly mocking tone to the drawings. Thus, he was trying to show his sometimes-sarcastic take on art and society through the use of rather ugly, even grotesque figures. This often annoyed his publishers, but secured him a lasting fame with the public.