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Beardsley, Aubrey (1872-1898) and Wilde, Oscar (1854-1900), The Climax, Important original illustration for Salome: A Tragedy in One Act, published in 1894. India ink and pencil on paper, signed with his Japanese monogram lower right, on heavy paper, likely Whatman, with penciled title inscriptions and number to verso, 9 by 6 1/2 in., framed with catalog entry and holograph inscribed pastedown to verso, "The Climax, for Salome. Original Drawing by Aubrey Beardsley. John Lane Sale, A.G. 11.22.26. no. 46j. Guy Eglington" (faint remnants to reverse, small foxing upper left and extreme lower left corner, small shaved area to the right of the head).

Provenance: The John Lane Collection of Original Drawings by Aubrey Beardsley, sold by order of Mrs. John Lane, London, England, The Anderson Galleries, November 22, 1926, sale number 2104, lot 46j. Acquired by William M. and Dora Bay Wheeler of Boston, Massachusetts. Thence by descent to the present owner.

From Salome, pp. 66-67; " Ah! thou wouldst not suffer me to kiss thy mouth, Iokanaan, I have kissed thy mouth. There was a bitter taste on thy lips. Was it the taste of blood?...Nay; but perchance it was the taste of blood...They say that love hath a bitter taste....I have kissed thy mouth".

According to the 1926 catalog, an earlier version of the same subject, following the same design, was published in The Studio, April 1893, illustrating Joseph Pennell's article. It was on the strength of this drawing that John Lane gave Beardsley the commission for the series.