Symbolism

Symbolism in visual arts, which emerged in the late 19th century, was a movement that aspired to express ideas and emotions more through suggestion and metaphor rather than overt representation. Originating as a reaction against the naturalism and materialism of the era's art and literature, Symbolism represented a turn towards the mystical, the emotional, and the spiritual.

Symbolists sought to convey the deeper meanings or truths that lay beyond the perceptible world, delving into themes of love, fear, angst, death, and dreams. Their works were rich with complex allegory and used a language of symbols to explore humanity's inner life and the intersection between reality and the imagination. In contrast to the realists and impressionists of the same period, who depicted scenes of modern life and the fleeting effects of light and color, Symbolists depicted dream worlds and visions deeply steeped in personal iconography.

Artists like Gustave Moreau, Odilon Redon, and Edvard Munch (who was also pivotal in the Expressionist movement) created works that were introspective and enigmatic, inviting viewers to interpret their multilayered meanings. In Symbolist paintings, a figure wasn't merely a figure; it could represent a state of being, an archetypal character, or a philosophical idea. The use of color was nuanced and often had a symbolic significance of its own, while compositions leaned towards the poetic and esoteric rather than the literal.

Symbolism in visual arts paved the way for later avant-garde movements, including Surrealism, and continued to influence artists who sought to explore the complex terrain of human experience through a more introspective and spiritual lens