2. •French literary movement in the
1880s
•Albert Aurier gave the first
definition of symbolism as an
aesthetic, describing it as the
subjective vision of an artist
expressed through a simplified
and non-naturalistic style.
•In 1891an article on Paul Gauguin
was published hailing him as the
leader of symbolism.
3. Symbolism produced
imaginary dream worlds
populated with mysterious
figures from biblical stories
and Greek mythology as well
as fantastical, often
monstrous, creatures.
5. Themes In Symbolist Art
•love
•fear
•anguish
•death
•sexual awakening
•unrequited desire.
6. Woman became the favored
symbol for the expression of these
universal emotions, appearing
alternately as wistful virgins and
menacing femmes fatales.
18. PROMINENT ARTIST OF
SYMBOLISM
•Edvard Munch
•Ferdinand Hodler
•Fernand Khnopff
• Gustav Klimt
• Gustav Monreau
• Sir Edward Burne-
Jones
• Arnold Bocklin
• Pierre Puvis de
Chavannes
• Adria Gual