Symbolism

Symbolism is an artistic movement which originated in France during the late 19th century, after the Franco-Prussian war of 1871. The goal of this art was to express ideas and emotions by symbolism, especially prominent in painting, poetry and literature. Artists used symbols from dreams, mythology or religion to evoke meaning without being explicitly realistic. The style is also characterized by an interest in death, melancholy, nightmares and the supernatural. Symbolists believed that art should aim to capture more emotional and spiritual meaning than Realist art. Their subjects are often, but not always, unidentifiable. In general, Symbolist artists shunned the Realistic style in favor of a personal vision that attempts to convey an inner feeling or mood. The roots of symbolism can be found in Romanticism, which emphasized the role of the individual and their interpretation of objects according to emotion and imagination. It also was influenced by the transcendentalist philosophy of Immanuel Kant. In addition to its emphasis on emotion, Symbolism was similar to Romanticism in that it often uses supernatural beings, fantasy and symbols not grounded in reality. This contrasts with Realism's focus on everyday life and physical appearances. Symbolist painters were mainly concerned with two genres: landscape and portrait painting. They also attempted to capture a sense of mystery and fantasy using rich colors and decorative forms. In contrast with Realism, Symbolism depicted people in realistic settings and symbolist painters focused on the imagination, dreams and spirituality to convey inner meaning.