The Picture of Dorian Gray edition of the novel; nonetheless, by June 1891, Wilde was defending "The Picture of Dorian Gray" against accusations that it was a bad book. In the essay "The Artist as Critic", Oscar Wilde said that: In the 19th century, the critical reception of the novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray" (1890) was poor. The book critic of "The Irish Times" said, "The Picture of Dorian Gray" was "first published to some scandal." Such book reviews achieved for the novel a "certain notoriety for being 'mawkish and nauseous', 'unclean', 'effeminate' and 'contaminating'." Such moralistic scandal arose from the novel's homoeroticism, which
The Picture of Dorian Gray (opera) Basil, Lord Henry and Dorian engage in conversation whilst Basil becomes completely absorbed in his painting, and does not stop the two from talking. Basil declares the finished painting to be his masterpiece. Dorian then laments the fact that while he will grow old, the picture will remain young forever, saying 'If it were only the other way...for that, I would give my soul.' Basil notices a change in Dorian and accuses Lord Henry of becoming a bad influence on him. Not wanting his painting to harm his friendship with Dorian and Lord Henry, Basil attempts to destroy it, but