Original 1901 line block print by Aubrey Beardsley "Headpiece"? from 'The Pierrot of the Minute' by Ernest Dowson, Published by John Lane Aubrey Beardsley's (British, Brighton, Sussex 1872?1898 Menton) artistic career was remarkably impactful for its brevity. In the seven years he was able to draw and write before succumbing to tuberculosis, Beardsley developed a reputation as one of the most controversial artists of his time. The linear elegance of his designs coupled with the artist's bizarre sense of humor and fascination with the grotesque and taboo simultaneously intrigued and repelled his Victorian audience. The original 1901 line block print ? Not a copy or modern reprint