Rossetti in his Worldlier Days Leaving the Arundel Club with George Augustus Sala 1916

Curator: This is Sir Max Beerbohm’s depiction of "Rossetti in his Worldlier Days Leaving the Arundel Club with George Augustus Sala," part of the Tate Collections. Editor: It's immediately striking. The exaggeration of form, especially the corpulence, creates a mood that's both humorous and slightly unsettling. Curator: Beerbohm's caricature is potent. Rossetti is presented in shadow, literally and figuratively. Sala's cigar and expansive figure suggest worldly indulgence. It hints at the shifting cultural values of the time. Editor: Absolutely. The color palette—the muted blues and grays—contributes to the somber, almost ghostly, atmosphere. It really emphasizes the weight of these figures. Curator: Indeed. This drawing serves as a potent symbol of Victorian society’s changing values and the artist’s sharp observations. Editor: And Beerbohm's keen formal choices amplify that social commentary so beautifully.