Exhibition Catalogue 1901

This is an exhibition catalogue by Eliseu Visconti. Look at this approach to line; it's so fluid and graphic, like a drawing come to life. You see the green of the vegetation against the pale figures – it's not just decorative, it's like a whole world being built. I find myself drawn to the way Visconti balances the composition, with the roots mirroring the flourishes above. The figures almost emerge from the landscape, their limbs flowing into the vines. Notice the texture here: it’s both organic and artificial, raw and refined. This push and pull between different states is interesting; just look at that almost menacing heart at the top right. It reminds me a little of Aubrey Beardsley’s illustrations, with that same sense of decadent mystery. Like Beardsley, Visconti really understood the power of ambiguity, inviting us to bring our own interpretations to the table, to create our own art.