7.1 Symbolism: Mysticism, Dreams, and the Subconscious
5 min read•august 13, 2024
emerged as a powerful artistic movement, rejecting realism in favor of , dreams, and the subconscious. Artists explored the inner world of imagination, using enigmatic imagery and personal symbols to convey complex ideas and emotions.
Influenced by philosophers and poets, Symbolists embraced the irrational and spiritual. Their work featured dreamlike scenes, mythological subjects, and atmospheric colors, paving the way for later movements like and abstract art.
Philosophical Influences on Symbolism
The Role of the Irrational and the Subconscious
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Arthur Schopenhauer | Watercolor and charcoal on canson. | Arturo Espinosa | Flickr View original
Emphasized the role of the irrational, the will, and the subconscious in human experience
Schopenhauer believed that the world was driven by a blind, irrational force he called the "Will"
Nietzsche explored the idea of the (superman) who could transcend conventional morality and embrace the irrational aspects of life
Poetic Inspiration and Dreamlike Imagery
Symbolist artists inspired by poetry of Charles Baudelaire, , and
Featured dreamlike imagery, mystical themes, and a focus on the inner world of the individual
Baudelaire's "" suggested that the material world was a series of symbols reflecting a higher, spiritual reality
Mallarmé's complex, enigmatic poems sought to evoke the ineffable through the power of suggestion and symbolism
Romantic and Pre-Raphaelite Influences
Symbolists influenced by Romantic movement's emphasis on emotion, imagination, and the sublime
Romantics like and explored mystical and metaphysical themes in their work
Pre-Raphaelites' interest in medieval and mythological subjects also appealed to Symbolist sensibilities
Pre-Raphaelite paintings often featured intricate symbolism and a sense of mystery or otherworldliness (' "Ophelia")
Theosophy and Mystical Traditions
Theosophical Society, founded by , promoted synthesis of Eastern and Western mystical traditions
Attracted many Symbolist artists with its emphasis on the spiritual and the occult
Theosophical ideas about the unity of all religions and the existence of hidden, esoteric knowledge resonated with Symbolist ideals
Symbolist painter was a prominent member of the Theosophical Society and incorporated its teachings into his work
Dreamlike Imagery in Symbolist Art
Enigmatic and Irrational Scenes
Symbolist paintings depict enigmatic, dreamlike scenes evoking mystery, ambiguity, and the irrational
's "The Apparition" shows the biblical figure of Salome hallucinating the severed head of John the Baptist
's "The Cyclops" presents a fantastical, nightmarish vision of the mythical one-eyed giant
Mythological and Biblical Subjects
Symbolist artists used mythological and biblical subjects to explore universal human experiences and emotions
Moreau's paintings often featured figures from Greek mythology, such as Orpheus and the Chimera
Redon's "The Fall of Icarus" reinterprets the classical myth as a for the artist's struggle and the dangers of hubris
Atmospheric Color and Decorative Style
Symbolist artists employed muted, atmospheric color palette and flattened, decorative style
Creates a sense of otherworldliness and detachment from everyday reality
' murals feature pale, ethereal colors and simplified, almost abstract forms (The Sacred Grove)
's paintings combine gold leaf, intricate patterns, and stylized figures to create a dreamlike, decorative effect (The Kiss)
Introspective and Melancholic Figures
Many Symbolist works feature introspective, melancholic figures lost in reverie or contemplation
Reflects artists' interest in the inner world of the psyche
's "I Lock the Door Upon Myself" depicts a solitary, androgynous figure in a claustrophobic, dreamlike space
's "Melancholy" series explores themes of isolation, anxiety, and existential despair
Symbolism in Artworks
Personal and Universal Symbols
Symbolist artists used wide range of personal and universal symbols to convey complex ideas and emotions
Viewers often required to decipher hidden meanings in their works
's "Vision After the Sermon" juxtaposes Breton peasant women with a mystical vision of Jacob wrestling an angel, suggesting the coexistence of the mundane and the sacred
Jean Delville's "The Treasures of Satan" employs esoteric and occult symbols to comment on the corrupting influence of materialism
Flowers, Mirrors, and Mythical Creatures
Common symbols in Symbolist art include:
Flowers representing innocence, purity, or decay (' "April")
Mirrors suggesting introspection or the duality of the self (Fernand Khnopff's "Who shall deliver me?")
Mythical creatures embodying primal desires or fears (Odilon Redon's "The Temptation of Saint Anthony")
Religious and Occult Symbols
Religious and occult symbols often incorporated into Symbolist works
Evokes a sense of spirituality or mysticism
's "The Wave" features a Christ-like figure surrounded by a halo of light, symbolizing the soul's journey towards enlightenment
Jean Delville's "Satan's Treasures" includes a pentagram and other occult symbols to represent the seductive power of evil
The Female Figure as Symbol
Female figure a central symbol in many Symbolist paintings
Represents ideals of beauty, sensuality, and the eternal feminine
Also symbolizes potential for destruction and temptation
Gustav Klimt's "Pallas Athene" depicts the Greek goddess of wisdom as a seductive, mysterious figure
's "The Sin" portrays a nude woman with a serpent, evoking the biblical story of Eve and the temptation of Adam
Symbolism and the Subconscious
Shift from External to Internal World
Symbolism marked significant shift in focus of art from external world to internal world of artist's imagination and psyche
Rejected realism and naturalism in favor of subjective, emotional expression
Explored dreams, visions, and the irrational as sources of artistic inspiration
Odilon Redon's "The Eye Like a Strange Balloon Mounts Toward Infinity" suggests the limitless power of the imagination to transcend the material world
Anticipation of Surrealism
Symbolists' emphasis on dreams, visions, and the irrational anticipated later development of Surrealism
Surrealists further explored role of the subconscious in artistic creation
Symbolist works like Alfred Kubin's "The Prey" and Max Klinger's "A Glove" prefigure the haunting, dreamlike imagery of Surrealist artists like and René Magritte
Paving the Way for Abstract Art
Symbolist artists' use of personal and archetypal symbols to convey meaning paved way for development of abstract art in early 20th century
Wassily Kandinsky and Piet Mondrian were influenced by Symbolist ideas about the spiritual and emotional power of color and form
Symbolist emphasis on the expressive potential of line, color, and composition anticipated the formal innovations of abstract art
Influence on Later Artists
Symbolist movement's interest in psychological and spiritual dimensions of art influenced work of many later artists
Edvard Munch's "The Scream" expresses existential angst and alienation, themes that would be further explored by Expressionist artists
Wassily Kandinsky's abstract compositions were inspired by Symbolist ideas about synesthesia and the correspondence between colors and emotions
Marcel Duchamp's readymades and conceptual art challenged traditional notions of art and meaning, echoing the Symbolists' rejection of artistic conventions