IMAGES OF FICTIONAL ARTISTS IN AUBREY BEARDSLEY’S NOVEL "UNDER THE HILL"

Abstract

The article analyzes images of two fictional artists created by the English writer and illustrator Aubrey Beardsley in his unfinished novel Under the Hill. Meanings of the artists’ names, verbal representation of their work, pictorial and literary allusions, relationship with other works of the author are revealed. In the novel, the image of Jean Baptiste Dora is only represented through ekphrasis of his works, while the other artist – De La Ping – is directly involved into the story as a character. Landscapes and holidays of De La Pina are associated with paintings of Claude Lorrain and Antoine Watteau while drawings by J.B. Dora refer readers to grotesques and vignettes of Beardsley himself. However, in the images of both fictional artists French “gallant” tradition tends to pornography, and people are replaced by interiors, costumes and makeup. Through the prism of Beardsley’s satirical grotesque vices are not justified but ridiculed.

Keywords

• английская литература
• декаданс
• конец века
• вымышленные художники
• французская галантная традиция
• рококо
• экфрасис
• гротеск
• сатира
• Обри Бердсли
• «Под Холмом».