Article of the Week - number twenty-five - an Aubrey Beardsley-inspired robe

Currently, at Tate Britain, the artist Aubrey Beardsley is having a moment.

Although he died remarkably young, Aubrey created in an instantly recognisable style and influenced the course of Western Art from the end of the 19th Century until today. In the 1960s his graphic style lent itself to the decade and that influence could be seen on posters and record covers of the day. 

During the pandemic it is bookings-only at Tate Britain, but that does help in thinning-out the usual crowds. We have been to see the exhibition recently and enjoyed seeing both familiar and completely unknown-to-us pieces. 

This robe is printed in India as part of the exhibition merchandising. Made of cotton, it depicts "The Peacock Skirt" by Aubrey, one of a sequence made for Oscar Wilde's "Salome". A detail from the robe is pictured here. When the studio reopens to the public it will go on display.