1897
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Dominant colour
The Lady with the Monkey is a 1897 by Aubrey Vincent Beardsley, a Impressionism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This drawing shows a woman in a fancy, lace-like dress holding a fan. She wears a tall hat with feathers and stands near a curtain with hanging lanterns. A small monkey in a tiny suit balances on her shoulder, holding a plate. The artist used lots of sharp lines to fill in details, like the lace and the monkey’s outfit. This style makes everything look intricate and slightly dreamy. Check out cross-hatching to see how artists create texture with lines.
The drawing depicts a woman in elaborate attire, her chest bare except for a feathered turban, holding a monkey on a leash; the monkey is dressed in a suit and carries a hat. Ornate tasselled curtains and a richly decorated flower stand form the background. Originally created as an illustration for *Volpone* by Ben Jonson, it was later used in a series of drawings for *Mademoiselle de Maupin* by Théophile Gautier. Published in 1898 by Leonard Smithers, the work was reproduced as a photogravure.
Read the full account in the museum source.
Aubrey Vincent Beardsley was an English illustrator and author. His black ink drawings were influenced by Japanese woodcuts, and depicted the grotesque, the decadent, and the erotic. He was a leading figure in the…
See the richer artist page
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