Symbolism was an art movement of the late 19th century that repelled against the Iron Age - the Industrial Age - by moving back into time by dreams, myths, old poetry. It is an art movement directly opposite of Realism, and is the forerunner of Surrealism of the 20th century.
Symbolism combined a paramount of artists, from the French, the English, the Netherlands, the Austrian/Czech/German. Even an art artist like Toulouse-Latrec, normally grouped with the Post-Impressionists, could be considered a Symbolist because of his use of flat garish colors. "Flat" being the primary look of the paintings.
The painting colors lacked depth, yet were colorful and fanciful. Dark colors were employed, and woman portrayed not as simple elegant nudes, but Femme Fatales, witches, scary castrating ugly sexually hungry, predatory women. For the first time, I do believe, women are shown with distinct nipples in red color. This was a kind of revolution in itself.
Solome, the Biblical dancer of the 7 veils, is a favorite. Paintings show her with John the Baptist, his head on on it's infamous silver platter. Sometimes she is shown just dancing her evil dance. Her image is repeated over and over, carrying into the Art Nouveau movement which followed on the heels of the Symbolist moment.
This is the movement that began the "Art for Art's Sake", the Starving Artist, the bitter, unhappy artist, and suffering for your "Art" at any cost. These tendencies seeped into the art world, and never quite left them, as we embrace the image today.
Gone are the days of the Impressionists painting pretty women outdoors at a picnic.
Recent Comments