The artwork titled “The Kiss of Judas,” created by Aubrey Beardsley in 1893, is a significant piece within the Art Nouveau, or Modern, movement. This illustration genre artwork is presently housed at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London, UK.
The artwork exhibits Beardsley’s distinct black and white illustrative style. It portrays a serene yet enigmatic composition where two central figures are set against a stark background. A woman, draped in a dark, flowing garment and adorned with elaborate headwear, sits under a stylized tree with a melancholic expression. Leaning against her is a nude child with an inquisitive gaze, reaching out towards the thicket of meticulously detailed plants in the foreground. The artwork’s use of clean lines and contrast creates a scene imbued with both simplicity and complexity, characteristic of the Art Nouveau movement.
