‘Lysistrata shielding her coynte’, by Aubrey Beardsley

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Lysistrata shielding her coynte

Aubrey Beardsley

Photo-mechanical reproduction of a pen and ink drawing

10 x 7 inches

The Lysistrata of Aristophanes.

A scene showing Lysistrata’s determination to protect herself against the phallocentric sexuality of the warring husbands. [Commentary continues below.]

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Scanned image and text by Simon Cooke.

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Beardsley elucidates the play’s theme by showing Lysistrata holding a sprig of laurel, the sign of victory, which in this case will subjugate male power in the form of a gigantic penis, which is treated as an architectural feature. As usual, the combination of comedy and obscenity is balanced against the elegance of the design, invoking a complex response from the viewer and asks pointed questions: should pornography be aesthetically pleasing? Is it pornography at all – or just a satirical joke to match the play’s lampoonery?

Bibliography

The Lysistrata of Aristophanes. London [Leonard Smithers], 1896.

Created 1 March 2021