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The pleasure of the erotic with the grotesque has been space of artistic inquiry and public fascination for years because dark carnal desires and violence are inextricably linked together because they both covet power.
William Shakespeare was probably the earliest writers in English Literature to explore this taboo relationship but few know of the artist-John Yunge-Bateman, whose work that has been recently sold on ebay, was inspired by the Bard’s most darkest tragedy King Lear to create a series of striking illustrations that combined the erogenous with the violent.
According to this article by iO9 in 1930, Curwen Press published an edition of Shakespeare’s King Lear with Yunge-Bateman’s artwork- that are heavily feature the thong underwear. Yunge-Bateman’s creations inspired by ancient Japanese woodblock printing are copied from the style of Aubrey Beardsley; a renowned English illustrator of the 19th century. While the images arresting in themselves they also effectively convey the play’s madness.
“Howl, howl, howl, howl.”
King Lear is considered Shakespeare’s darkest tragedies in which the protagonist the elderly Lear decides to give up his power and divide his realm amongst his three daughters. The largest piece of his kingdom would be given to the child who professes to love him the most-though he is certain that his favourite daughter, Cordelia, will win the challenge. To his utter amazement the other two sisters make dramatic though deceitful declarations of love for him but Cordelia refuses to indulge her father though her affection for him is both sincere and true. While the themes of grief and insanity perpetuated by the violence is a strong current in the play, the sexual suggestions in the remain implicit. That’s where Yunge-Bateman illustrations unearths the sexual tensions of the play; according to interpretations the origin of Lear’s sorrow is erotic, there are several tirades against female sexuality in the play along with the fine inter-mingling of danger and sexual pleasure against the overarching savagery of the play. The psyche of the play’s deranged monarch is also often expressed in the text’s strong visual language- “There’s hell, there’s darkness, there’s the sulphurous pit; burning, scalding, stench, consumption!” and Yunge-Bateman captures these sentiments in his almost surrealistic illustrations of Lear’s torment.
“But I am bound on a wheel of fire.”
“This kiss, if it dare speak, would stretch thy spirits up into the air.”
Yunge-Bateman’s art which is born from an ancient craft, literary classic and stylistic aesthetics is exceptionally powerful.
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