{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O860383"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O860383/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2013GA5139/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2013GA5139/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2013GA5139","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AT4978","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KP5035","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O860383/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O860383","accessionNumber":"D.1823-1904","objectType":"Drawing","titles":[{"title":"Le Morte Darthur","type":"series title"}],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"A drawing in black ink on white paper depicting two winged figures kneeling on either side of the image. Between the figures is a sinuous plant-like from. On the back is a graphite drawing of a male figure, holding a dagger, descending a staircase (c.1892).","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Aubrey Beardsley","id":"A8134"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"},{"text":"pen and Indian ink","id":"x47322"}],"techniques":[{"text":"drawing","id":"AAT54196"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pen and ink on paper","categories":[{"text":"Drawings","id":"THES48966"},{"text":"Books","id":"THES48986"},{"text":"Illustration","id":"THES48938"},{"text":"Myths & Legends","id":"THES49005"},{"text":"Designs","id":"THES48968"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2013GA5139","2006AT4978","2018KP5035"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLE","id":"THES49657"},"free":"","case":"I","shelf":"50","box":"A"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"drawing","id":"AAT33973"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"No","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1893","earliest":"1893-01-01","latest":"1893-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"9.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"16/06/2014","earliest":"2014-06-16","latest":"2014-06-16"},"part":"sheet","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"22.9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"16/06/2014","earliest":"2014-06-16","latest":"2014-06-16"},"part":"sheet","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"87","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"2024","earliest":"2024-01-01","latest":"2024-12-31"},"part":"image","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"220","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"2024","earliest":"2024-01-01","latest":"2024-12-31"},"part":"image","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Pasted onto sheet: 20.3 x 33.2 cm","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Beardsley was commissioned by J. M. Dent to produce illustrations for his intended republication of Malory's romantic tale 'Le Morte Darthur'; it was Beardsley's first commission. This design was for the headpiece to the preface of Volume I of 'Le Morte Darthur' which was published between 1893-4 by Dent. \r\n","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Drawing by Aubrey Beardsley, design for a headpiece to the preface of Thomas Malory's Le Morte Darthur, vol. I., pen and ink on paper, London, 1893.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Calloway, Stephen. <u>Aubrey Beardsley</u>. London: V & A Publications, 1998. 224pp, illus. ISBN: 1851772197.","id":"AUTH332149"},"details":"chapter 3","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Linda Gertner Zatlin, Aubrey Beardsley : a catalogue raisonne. New Haven : Yale University Press, [2016] 2 volumes (xxxi, [1], 519, [1] pages; xi, [1], 547, [1] pages) : illustrations (some color) ; 31 cm. ISBN: 9780300111279\r\n\r\nThe entry is as follows:\r\n\r\n515r\r\nTwo Angels\r\nHeadpiece for the Preface\r\nBy 22 August 1893\r\nVictoria and Albert Museum, London (D.1823-1904)\r\nPen and Indian ink over pencil on white wove paper (verso: pen and ink); 3 3/4 x 9 1/8 inches (96 x 232 mm).\r\n\r\nINSCRIPTIONS: Recto at lower right: [collector’s stamp, circled]; Verso in pencil: 570 / 4 / 97 /  [in black ink]: D.1823-1904 / [in pencil]: Reduce to 4 ⅜ wide / 12 3/2 6 ½ / ¾ blk recto.\r\n\r\nFLOWERS: Rose [ball type] (love, passion), stylised branches.\r\n\r\nPROVENANCE: J. M. Dent; Frederick H. Evans; bt. Curtis Gallery (‘sold to South Kensington’, FHE, n.d.); bt. Victoria and Albert Museum on 9 November 1904.\r\n\r\nEXHIBITION: London 1966-8 (218); Tokyo 1983 (8); Munich 1984 (49); Rome 1985 (3.3).\r\n\r\nLITERATURE: Recto: Vallance 1897 (p.202), 1909 (no.59.xx); Gallatin 1945 (no. 345-624); Reade 1967 (p.316 n.58); Zatlin 1990 (p.72); Samuels Lasner 1995 (no.22); Zatlin 1997 (pp.190-1); Reade 1967 (p.325 n.162).\r\n\r\nREPRODUCED: Recto: Le Morte Darthur, 1893-4 (Preface page); Reade 1967 (plate 58). Verso: Reade 1967 (plate 163).\r\n\r\nIn contrast to the stiffly seated angel at the right, the bearing of the angel at the left, whose posture evokes that in Leonardo da Vinci’s Annunciation (c.1472-5, Uffizi Gallery. Florence), is more relaxed, chin propped on her hand as if listening to a long story (thanks to Steven Hobbs for pointing out the connection). Beardsley’s motif of angels in these illustrations parallels Malory’s text which opposes good, depicted as angels, against evil, embodied in the shape of satyrs, fauns and roses redolent of sensuous worldly perfume (Zatlin 1997, pp.190-1).\r\n\r\n \r\n515v\r\nMan ascending a Staircase\r\nBecause he bends the figure’s back foot, Beardsley is able to suggest that the figure moves quickly down the stairs. The drawing is unusual because Beardsley made a firm pencil outline instead of an ink outline (Reade 1967, p.325 n.162). The instructions for the block-maker refer to the headpiece for the Preface (no.515r, above)."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"Thomas Malory","id":"AUTH329365"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[{"text":"J.M. Dent & Sons Ltd.","id":"A22757"}],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"winged figures","id":"x47398"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":["'Le Morte Darthur' by Thomas Malory"],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["D.1823-1904"],"accessionNumberNum":"1823","accessionNumberPrefix":"D","accessionYear":1904,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-06-08","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-30","availableToBook":false}}