Masked Woman with a White Mouse 1894

Aubrey Beardsley made this oil painting in the 1890s, using the traditional materials of canvas and paint to explore the very modern theme of urban spectacle. Notice how the woman's dark clothing contrasts with the vibrant red of the figure in the background. Beardsley’s technique is characterized by the way he manipulated the oil paint to produce a range of textures and effects, from the smooth, almost glossy surface of the woman's dress to the rougher, more textured brushstrokes that define the background. Although he was working within the established traditions of oil painting, Beardsley was also engaging with the emerging culture of mass production and consumption, and the politics embedded within it. In this painting, he prompts us to consider the labor and resources required to produce this image, inviting us to reflect on the relationship between art, culture, and commerce.