Illustration to Salome by Oscar Wilde 5 1906 - 1907

This is Aubrey Beardsley's Illustration to Salome by Oscar Wilde 5, made with ink. The high contrast black and white palette is so striking and stark, it’s like a stage set with the lights turned way up. For me, art-making is a process of revealing, and here Beardsley reveals these characters with incredible economy. Looking closer, the lines create such distinct shapes that it almost doesn’t matter what they depict. I’m drawn to the way the stark black shapes of the dress and hat contrast with the delicate filigree in the gown. The texture and patterns feel really modern, even though it's an old piece. It's a dance between flat and decorative that’s both unsettling and magnetic. This piece reminds me of later graphic artists like Edward Gorey, whose work also blends the beautiful with the macabre. Ultimately, art is about sparking a dialogue, an exchange of ideas that transcends time and fixed meanings, inviting endless possibilities.