Symbolism

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Symbolism and Art Nouveau
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Symbolism

• Rejected both Realism and Impressionisms
  interest in nature
• Attracted more to internal world
• Imagination, dreams, irrational aspects of human
  mind
• Drawn to mythological subject matter
• Not heroic or Greek Classical side, but more
  poetic and sad side.
• More disturbing, the better.

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Symbolism Continued

• Began as a literary movement emphasizing
  psychological phenomena
• Symbolist belief by focusing on myths and
  dreams, one could rise above the here and now and
  arrive a t a universal sanctuary.
• Coincided historically with Sigmund Freuds ideas
  of psychology

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Gustave Moreau

• Leader of the Symbolist Movement
• Often painted stories from Greek Mythology
• Orpheus
• Orpheus was a musician who was killed and torn
  limb from limb by the female followers of
  Dionysis.
• Painting is of a women mourning the loss of
  Orpheus (his head is sitting on his lyre)

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• Actual violent episode of his death is carried
  out in upper left corner

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Edvard Munch

• Norwegian Artist often compared to Van Gogh
• Traveled to Paris at the time of
  Post-Impressionism and Symbolism.
• Also experienced much mental anguish drank
  heavily and isolated himself often from rest of
  world
• Showed greatly in his work
• Parents, sister and brother all died when he was
  very young (often alone in the world)

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• The Scream (The Cry)
• Displays isolation and fear
• Who are the two figures walking towards the
  screaming figure.

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• Anxiety
• Munch received electric shock treatment for
  depression (Freud theory)
• Woman in the painting is Mrs. Heiberg (woman he
  was obsessed with)
• Sadness and Anxiety were his favorite subjects to
  paint

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• The Sick Room
• Shows what happens to the living when someone
  dies
• Sorrow, anguish, pain
• Each person reacts in a different way

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Art Nouveau

• New Art
• Ornamental style of curvilinear, organic forms
• Also known as Modern Style
• Characterized by linear patterns
• Strongly influenced architecture and decorative
  arts

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Gustave Klimt

• The Kiss
• Very ornamental and full of pattern
• Most widely known work by Klimt

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Henri Rousseau

• No formal art training
• Painted on the sidewas a customs agent near
  Paris.
• Often mocked by other artists because of his
  unique style
• Painted mostly jungle scenes
• Never went to a jungle in his life, just read in
  books and went to the zoo.
• Strange man who often lied
• Claimed he was in the military, but was not

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Tiger in a Tropical Storm
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Tropical Forest with Monkeys