Born in 1872, Aubrey Beardsley was, along with Oscar Wilde, an emblematic figure of the decadence that marked the end of Queen Victoria's reign. Largely self-taught, Beardsley's drawings initially show the influence of the Pre-Raphaelites, such as Burne-Jones and Rossetti. Later, he adopted a more radical and innovative style, illustrating Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur and participating in the creation of The Yellow Book magazine.

But it was through his dark and erotic drawings, notably for Oscar Wilde's Salome, that he best evoked the troubled atmosphere of the time. Stricken with tuberculosis, Beardsley died prematurely at the age of 25. He left behind numerous illustrations, which had a great influence on the artists of Art Nouveau.

The Author: With an original layout, Patrick Bade explores the equivocal universe of Beardsley, the "fin de siècle" artist par excellence. Through illustrations that shocked his contemporaries, the draughtsman boldly defied Victorian morality to become a privileged witness of his time.