Symbolism: Art Movement Report
Symbolism: Art Movement Report
Symbolism: Art Movement Report
Symbolism
Key information
Symbolism began in the 1880s and ended in the
1910s. The term Symbolism was first used in
1886 by Gustave Kahn and Jean Moras.
Symbolism was both an artistic and literary
movement which portrays ideas through symbols
and highlights the meaning behind the forms,
lines, shapes and colours. Some symbolism art
Ferdinand Hodler http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artis
demonstrate that the tradition of representational
The Chosen ts/hodler_ferdinand.html
art has ended, which comes from classical times. 1893-94
Symbolism can also be seen as the face of
modernism.
Symbolism came about, as it was a reaction against the moralism, rationalism and materialism. The
emphasis on emotions, feelings, ideas and subjectivity is what unites various artists associated with
symbolism. The artwork often has a deep meaning behind them, which creates a story for the viewer, but
it is often difficult to identify what the meaning is.
http://www.theartstory.org/movement-symbolism.htm#key_ideas_header
Symbolism, a loosely organized literary and artistic movement that originated with a group of
French poets in the late 19th century, spread to painting and the theatre, and influenced the
European and American literatures of the 20th century to varying degrees. Symbolist artists
sought to express individual emotional experience through the subtle and suggestive use of highly
symbolized language.
https://www.britannica.com/art/Symbolism-literary-and-artistic-movement
Key features
Emphasis on emotions, feelings, ideas and subjectivity.
Symbolism can be seen as the face of modernism.
Is both an artistic and literary movement.
Came about in result of a reaction against moralism, rationalism and materialism.
There is often a deep meaning behind the artwork, which creates a story for the viewer.
Symbolist artists are thought to express their own emotional experiences through their subtle and
suggestive artwork.
Ideas through symbols and highlights the meaning behind the forms, lines, shapes and
colours.
2 Key Artists
Hugo Simberg
Key information
Simbergs landscape and portrait paintings are fairly straightforward, although most of his work
is in a highly distinctive symbolist vein. Drawing on his countries rich folk traditions. Simberg
usually worked on a small scale, his medium included many watercolours, drawings and etchings.
Simberg was quoted to have a quite wonderful gift by Gallen-Kallela, as his artworks seem like
sermons that everyone must listen to.
http://www.leninimports.com/hugo_simberg.html
Simberg was known for his unique paintings, blending realistic with fantasy, also often using odd
figures, such as devils and trolls. Simberg was commissioned to decorate St Johns church in
Tampere, now known as Tampere Cathedral. A red-winged serpent of Paradise was painted on the
ceiling, which sparked off considerable protests. It was later removed. The Finnish National
Gallerys archive collection reveals Simberg to also be a talented photographer in his own right.
https://publicdomainreview.org/collections/the-photographs-of-hugo-simberg/
Key features
Drawing on his countries rich folk traditions.
Medium included many watercolours, drawings and etchings.
Decorated St Johns church in Tampere.
Simberg is revealed to also be a talented photographer by The Finnish National Gallerys archive.
Known for his unique paintings, blending realistic with fantasy.
It is clear that this artwork is linked to the Symbolism movement going on between the 1880s - 1910s. It
is clear that the Symbolism movement influenced his work as there is a deep meaning behind this
artwork, linking to the fact that the artwork in the Symbolism movement often has a deep meaning
behind it. This also helps to create a story about this artwork.
http://www.simbergintoinenmaailma.fi/en/works/devotion/
The Wounded Angel
This artwork is of two sullen boys carrying a stretcher, bearing an angel dressed in white. You can clearly
see that the angel is injured and her eyes covered by a bandage. You cannot actually tell what has
happened or what this artwork is about.
In the first complete version, the angels hair is shown to be darker and damp; also a small rowing boat is
seen in the distance.
http://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/w/watercolour
http://www.simbergintoinenmaailma.fi/en/works/devotion/
Key Links
As in Symbolism there is always a deep meaning behind each and every artwork, although each artwork
has a strong meaning to it, they are often more fantasy and mystical rather than being actually real.
You can see in The Wounded Angel that there are 2 sullen boys carrying an injured angel, although the
meaning is unclear, you are able to tell that there is serious reasoning behind this artwork, but it clearly
has never actually happened. This is where Symbolism differs from realism.
Symbolism and Realism both have deep meanings behind the artworks; the only difference is that in the
Realism artworks, the artworks are about real events that have happened in life. Unlike Symbolism which
is more personal to the artist alone, and often has a hidden meaning that no-one will ever know, but this
creates more interest in the artworks as many interpretations are created.
There is clear links to the Realism art movement, giving Simberg the inspiration to create his personal
and symbolic artwork. The artwork is about when a team of poor, downtrodden workers had to pull a
ship upstream. You can see that very similar mediums have been used between Repins and Simbergs
artwork. Through the soft and gentle brush strokes and the blending looks angelic. Although its clear
Simberg has been influenced by Realism, there is a lot less detail is his work although it was made more
recently.
http://www.theartstory.org/movement-realism-artworks.htm#pnt_8
Paul Gauguin
Key information
French post-Impressionist artist Paul Gauguin was an important figure in the Symbolist art
movement of the early 1900s. Gauguin created his own unique painting style, much like he
crafted his own distinctive path through life. His use of bold colours, exaggerated body
proportions and stark contrasts in his paintings set him apart from his contemporaries, helping to
pave the way for the Primitivism art movement.
https://www.biography.com/people/paul-gauguin-9307741
Gauguin began his formal education and eventually joined the merchant marine (compulsory at
the time) at age seventeen. Three years later Gauguin joined the French Navy. Returning to Paris in
1872, Gauguin took up work as a stockbroker. Gauguin also took to frequently visiting galleries,
and eventually he rented his own artist's studio. He painted Impressionist landscapes, still lifes and
interiors heavily influenced not only by Pissarro but also by Paul Czanne, whom he had met
through Pissarro.
http://www.theartstory.org/artist-gauguin-paul.htm
https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/gaug/hd_gaug.htm
Key features
Was an important figure in the Symbolist art movement.
Created his own unique painting style.
Painted Impressionist landscapes, still lifes and interiors.
Influenced by Pissarro and Paul Cezanne.
Use of bold colours, exaggerated body proportions and stark contrasts in his paintings set him apart
from his contemporaries.
This artwork relates strongly to the art movement Symbolism as Gauguin is expressing his thoughts in
his subtle and suggestive artwork, as Gauguin feels he shares similarities to Valjean who was branded as
a criminal for 1 petty crime.
http://www.theartstory.org/artist-gauguin-paul-artworks.htm#pnt_3
Vision after the Sermon
This artwork represents a significant departure from the art movement of Impressionism. Instead of
Gauguin choosing to paint pastoral landscape or urban entertainments, Gauguin chose a rural Biblical
scene of praying women envisioning Jacob wrestling with an angel.
In portraying the praying women Gauguin experimented with distorting shapes, exaggerating features,
and use of strong contour lines instead of steady shifts in tone that most painters practiced.
http://www.theartstory.org/artist-gauguin-paul-artworks.htm#pnt_3
Key Links
Although Gauguin created his own unique painting style, it is clear to see that throughout out his work,
the inspiration has come from something, which he has then added upon to make it into his own.
In Gauguins Self Portrait Les Miserables, you can see that the stroke around the subject matter is faint,
as well as the stroke around all the elements. Gauguin clearly wanted to blend his elements together to
make it look elegant, however on his other artwork, Vision after the Sermon; Gauguin has emphasized
the bold lines surrounding each angel. In this artwork Gauguin has also not blended his colours at all. So
this gives an idea that Gauguin has been inspired by different people in both artworks.