The Platonic Lament 1894

Aubrey Beardsley created "The Platonic Lament" as an ink drawing, characteristic of the decadent aesthetic prevalent in the late 19th century. Beardsley, working within the aestheticism movement, sought to liberate art from moral constraints, exploring themes of eroticism and mortality. The drawing shows the artist's preoccupation with classical mythology and gender dynamics. We see a female figure draped across a bed, above her, a geometric tower engulfed with vegetation. The figure's melancholic pose and the presence of a grotesque, almost goblin-like character hint at the complex interplay between desire and disillusionment. Beardsley challenges Victorian ideals of femininity through the figure's sensual depiction and the subversive undertones of the scene. The platonic love is almost a performance, a recognition of something forever out of reach, and something to despair. This drawing captures the intensity of emotions while questioning the boundaries of societal norms.