As the dawn of the twentieth century loomed, London was undergoing tremendous changes, establishing itself as the heart of one of the most powerful empires the world had ever seen. However, in the same decade that witnessed the celebrations of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee a diverse group of writers, artists and poets sought to subvert the oppressive cultural and moral climate of the period. This was the city explored by Oscar Wilde, Arthur Symons, Aubrey Beardsley, Frank Harris and Ernest Dowson, together with their less well-known compatriots Lionel Johnson, John Gray, John Davidson and the mysterious Count Stenbock, all of whom receive their due attention.
Using a thematic approach, Decadent London recreates the artistic milieu of this turbulent time, describes the most popular decadent destinations and provides concise biographical material on the central characters, many of whom became victims of their excessively louche lifestyles. Visit the raucous decadent pubs such as the Crown and the Cock, listen in at the Cheshire Cheese, where W.B. Yeats read his poems to the Rhymers' Club, enjoy the wit of Wilde and Whistler at the Café Royal and explore the idyllic artistic retreat of Bedford Park in the suburbs.
"It is well illustrated with photographs and prints and includes reproductions of Beardsley's illustrations. There is ample material for further reading in the bibliography."
Rosemary Conley, The Journal of the Open University History Society,Autumn/Winter 2006.
245 x 185mm (hardback with 101 illustrations) 200 pages
Published 2005
