This is plate no. 37 from the mid-20th-century French edition Érotiques de Beardsley, published in Paris by Éditions Les Yeux Ouverts. It features a black-and-white original lithograph by the British artist Aubrey Beardsley (1872–1898), known for his provocative, sensual, and highly stylized drawings.
The image shows a nude young male figure climbing through a dense pattern of stylized flowers and thorny vines. His body moves gracefully among the thick black stems, which seem to both support and trap him. At the top right, the caption “Chap. r10.” suggests this may have originally served as a chapter heading or vignette from one of Beardsley’s illustrated texts, possibly The Story of Venus and Tannhäuser or Under the Hill, both of which explored erotic themes in mythological and decadent settings.
Beardsley often used natural motifs like roses and vines to suggest desire, danger, or temptation. The contrast between the soft curves of the body and the sharp thorns hints at the pain and pleasure of erotic experience. The strong black-and-white composition, along with the graphic flatness, reflects Beardsley’s deep influence from Japanese woodblock prints and his involvement in the Art Nouveau movement.
Although this image is less explicit than others in the collection, its symbolism and suggestive elegance fit perfectly into Beardsley’s wider body of erotic work. It is a fine example of how he blended illustration, design, and storytelling into a unique visual language that influenced generations of artists.
This edition is unnumbered and likely produced for general sale, but it remains a collectible item due to its fine printing and historical significance. The combination of stylized nudity, decorative pattern, and narrative ambiguity places this work in dialogue with other erotic illustrators such as Félicien Rops, Franz von Bayros, and later artists of the Viennese Secession.
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