A Pious Bacchanal: Affinities Between the Lives and Works of John Flaxman and Aubrey Beardsley

John Flaxman (1755-1826) and Aubrey Beardsley (1872-1898) were two of the most influential artists England ever produced. Yet despite similar artistic personalities and a shared interest in a disciplined linear style of drawing, their lives and works never before have been examined together. This study focuses on these issues and clearly demonstrates that Flaxman’s engravings are an important new source for Beardsley’s art. This book is also a major contribution towards a reappraisal of the lives and works of both artists.