No. 2 1896

Aubrey Beardsley crafted this cover for "The Savoy" in April 1896, rendered in striking black ink. The scene pulsates with symbols of fleeting beauty and artifice. Note the extravagant hats—reminiscent of ancient headdresses—as potent symbols of transformation and concealed identity. This motif echoes through time, from the ceremonial masks of antiquity to the elaborate courtly fashions of the Renaissance. Consider the mirror, a recurrent icon in art history. Often, it serves as a portal to introspection, but here, it hints at vanity and illusion, mirroring not truth but constructed image. Just as Narcissus of old found himself captivated by his reflection, these figures seem engrossed in the performance of self. The pursuit of beauty, an eternal dance, touches primal chords, sparking both desire and anxiety. In this tableau, we see a convergence: the echoes of the past reverberating through the present, constantly reformed, perpetually poignant.