Oscar Wilde, Irish playwright, author and poet who lived during the second half
of the 19th century, challenged the prevailing notions of Victorian society that
believed art and literature should be didactic. A proponent of the Aesthetic and
Decadent movements, he believed in “art for art’s sake. He and fellow artists
sought to celebrate beauty, foreground sensuality and promote artistic, sexual
and political experimentation. Popular for his wit and work as a playwright, he
by turns captivated and shocked his audiences.