On Alert 1898

Aubrey Beardsley made this drawing, titled "On Alert," using ink on paper, a process and materials that have a long, celebrated history in art. However, Beardsley’s approach is far from traditional. His sinuous lines, and use of stark black and white contrasts, give the image a distinctly modern, even graphic quality. Look at the labor evident in the creation of this artwork. The painstaking detail in the woman's dress, hat, and facial expression would have taken skill and time. The very act of drawing, the lines etched onto the paper, become a testament to human effort. But what does it mean that such labor is put into representing someone who is, apparently, wealthy and idle? Beardsley challenges conventional distinctions between fine art and craft by elevating the status of drawing. In doing so, he compels us to reflect on the social context that shaped the artistic process itself, and how such images are tied to labor, class, and the dynamics of consumption.