Lysistrata Haranguing the Athenian Women 1896

Aubrey Beardsley made this pen and ink drawing, Lysistrata Haranguing the Athenian Women, amidst the aesthetic and decadent movement in the late 19th century. Beardsley was associated with queer culture during this period, and also with a type of 'new woman' exemplified in his illustrations. This illustration is a subversive take on classical themes, and particularly in this illustration, of female power and sexuality. Beardsley depicts a scene from Aristophanes' play Lysistrata, where women withhold sex to end the Peloponnesian War. Here, the figures challenge traditional representations of women, reflecting the changing roles and expectations of women in society, especially in artistic and intellectual circles. Beardsley explores themes of female agency and challenges Victorian prudery. This isn't just a scene from a play; it's a statement about women claiming control over their bodies and destinies, an idea that resonates even now. The deliberate provocation in Beardsley's art invites us to question societal norms and consider alternative narratives of gender and power.