Return to Cythera, c. 1900

What is Symbolism, 3 point summary

💡Themes of unknowable mystery

💡Many paintings possess a ritualistic, serene atmosphere

💡They seek myths and other stories as their subject matter

Leading Symbolist Artists

Symbolism is a category that overlaps considerably with aestheticism. Therefore, painters famous for their aesthetic works are sometimes categorized as Symbolists. Examples include Dante Gabriel Rossetti,John Everett Millais,Odilon Redon,Gustave Moreau,Pierre Puvis de Chavannes,Maurice Chabat,James Ensor, andGiovanni Segantini.

Dante Gabriel Rossetti was an English painter and is counted as a member of the Pre-Raphaelite school. Like other Pre-Raphaelite painters, he drew heavily on biblical, legendary, and literary sources. He also had some difficulty in grasping the anatomy of the human figure, and as a whole, many of his paintings are characterized by decorative and aesthetic compositions.

Dante Gabriel Rossetti ( 1864-1870)

John Everett Millais was also a member of the Pre-Raphaelite group and a leading painter of this group. Art critic John Ruskin's statement in defense of the Pre-Raphaelites, " Art must be true to nature," became the motto of the Pre-Raphaelites in the creation of their works.

John Everett Millais |Ophelia, 1851-52

Pierre Puvis de Chavannes is famous for his paintings that create a unique atmosphere and seem to combine narrative painting and natural landscapes. His paintings were also introduced early in Japan, where artists such as Seiki Kuroda were influenced by his work.

Pierre Puvis de Chavannes (Le Pauvre Pêcheur, 1881 )

Maurice Ch abat produced paintings characterized by calm and slightly disturbing scenes with subdued colors. The colors and subject matter show the influence of Pierre Puvis de Chavannes.

Maurice Chabat,Reverie au Bord du Lac, 1900

James Ensor' s work is uniquely individualistic and difficult to classify into a particular school. On the other hand, he has influenced many well-known painters, including Paul Klee andEmile Nolde. He is also highly regarded as a pioneer of 20th century art because of his influence on Expressionism and Surrealism, the major art movements of the 20th century.

JamesEnsor｜L'Intrigue, 1890

Giovanni Segantini is known as an Alpine painter for his paintings of Alpine landscapes. On the other hand, he left behind mysterious and decadent works such as "Evil Mothers," and his style is sometimes considered fin-de-siècle art, making him a multifaceted artist.

The Bad Mothers, 1894

Origin of Symbolism

The term " Symbolisme" was proposed by the poet Jean Moreaus, who in 1886 published "Le Symbolisme" (The Symbolism Manifesto) in the Figaro newspaper. Using the etymology of the word "Symbole" - "to throw together" - it refers to the analogy between abstract ideas and the literary representations that symbolize them.
Symbolism in art emerged from the Gothic aspect of Romanticism. Symbolism was also a reaction against naturalism. It is said that it was important to " clothe the idea with a perceptible form. In contrast to the naturalists, the Symbolists did not depict things faithfully, but explored impressions and sensations that evoked an ideal world and gave special treatment to the expression of states of the soul.

In contrast to Romanticism, which was both direct and rebellious, Symbolism was characterized as static and ritualistic. In terms of religion, Symbolism's preoccupation with the unknowable and themystical led to the Catholic Restoration movement at the end of the 19th century. This can be seen in the Catholic conversion of writer Oscar Wilde and painter Aubrey Beardsley. The attitude of avoidance of secularized traditional religious institutions was not limited to the phenomenon of the Catholic Restoration, but also encouraged the emergence of new mystical groups.