 They were following the advice of the art historian and critic John Ruskin, who urged artists to "go to nature" for their inspiration.In Britain, one of the first leading graphic artists in what became Art Nouveau style was Aubrey Beardsley (1872–1898).He began with engraved book illustrations for "Le Morte d'Arthur", then black and white illustrations for Salome by Oscar Wilde (1893), which brought him fame.