The Yellow Book was a periodical in the 1890’s that is described as "a product of its experimental, provocative moment in time" (Turner). It had an innovative form, sexually suggestive drawings, courtesy of Aubrey Beardsley, and was unconventional in many ways compared to the average quarterly periodical in the 1890's. The publication can be seen as influential, and definitely unusual with its choice to employ the eye catching and then controversial hue of yellow, the use of Beardsley’s borderline erotic drawings, and publishing prose discussing themes that could be classified as progressive or taboo. It offered a distinction, an art and a high quality literary review that strongly suggested the longevity of a book rather than the ephemera of a magazine. 

Despite being a valuable contribution to literary culture, The Yellow Book had a penchant for shocking its audience with controversial content and provocative pictures. Using the lens of Musical Performance, this exhibit seeks to show the role The Yellow Book played in blurring the lines of socially acceptable content therefore making the intended audience problematic.  

Aubrey Beardsley was an avant-garde artist; one known for his determination to shock with sensually suggestive and outlandish drawings. Beardsley's art pervaded the first four volumes of the magazine, appearing on the binding as well as in its pages. However, his friendship with Oscar Wilde around the time of Wilde's arrest for gross indecency, resulted in Beardsley being fire. This is just one example of  the editors of The Yellow Book being willing to toe the line of decadence but taking precautions by disassociating themselves with any connections to Wilde. The image that this exhibit looks at is the third in Beardsley’s series called Comedy-Ballet of the Marionettes; all of which were featured in the 2^nd volume of The Yellow Book. 

The text titled “On the Art of Yvette Guilbert” is an extensive review praising the entertainer’s work. Stanley Makower intricately details high points in Yvette Guilbert's many performances. He places samples of musical notes throughout to display his descriptions. The piece of prose serves as a review of musical performance in essay format. The fact that the prose is in The Yellow Book says something significant about the intended audience. Yvette Guilbert performed cabaret. Cabaret is an art form that depends on fine nuances and artful understatements that may be lost in a bigger venue. If it is presented in a bigger hall, the art form loses its personality and its appeal. Therefore, it is better suited to venues like music halls rather than an opera stage (Ruttkowski 51). The original audience of cabarets in the Victorian era were considered decadents, cosmopolitans and bohemians; in other words, the hippies and free thinkers (51).