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AUBREY BEARDSLEY.
Three Stylized Leaves * Two Dog Roses. Together, 2 ornamental devices for Book II,
chapterVI, page 59 and chapterVII, page 60, respectively, of “Le Morte d’Arthur,” London:
Dent, 1893-94. Pen and ink on paper. 45x43mm; 1
3
/
4
x1
1
/
2
inches (leaves) and 46x45 mm;
1 inches (roses). Each inlaid to size on 9
3
/
4
x7
1
/
2
-inch sheets with hand-drawn borders,
“315/320” and “296”in pencil on versos, respectively. [1892].
[1,200/1,800]
The acanthus leaf represents the fine arts and artifice, while the dog rose represents both pleasure
and pain in “Morte d’Arthur.” Both ornaments are repeated in subsequent books and chapters of
the work. Of the four lots in this sale, these drawings were included in earlier chapters and thus
executed a year before the others. In his book “Sources of Art Nouveau,” Stephan Madsen notes
that the stylized leaves recall Hector Guimard’s Paris Metro station designs (NewYork: DaCapo,
1975, pages 240-41). Provenance: J. M. Dent to Erhard Weyhe Collection, Sotheby’s NewYork
15 December 1988 to Jack and Caroline Milne. Zatlin 376, 377.
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AUBREY BEARDSLEY.
Four Large Lilies. Ornamental device for
Book VI, chapter XII, page 205 of “Le
Morte d’Arthur,” London: Dent, 1893-
94. Pen and ink on paper. 59x50mm;
2
1
/
4
x2 inches. Inlaid to size on 9
3
/
4
x7
1
/
2
-
inch sheet with hand-drawn borders,
“1/205” in pencil on verso. [1893].
[2,000/3,000]
The lilies in “Morte d’Arthur” represent purity
and sweetness. This ornament is repeated in
Book VIII, chapter XXVII, page 337 and
Book XI, chapter XIII, page 662. Provenance:
J. M. Dent to Erhard Weyhe Collection,
Sotheby’s New York 15 December 1988 to
Jack and Caroline Milne. Zatlin 467.
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