Description
In works of art, literature, and narrative, a symbol is a concrete element like an object, character, image, situation, or action that suggests or hints at abstract, deeper, or non-literal meanings or ideas. The use of symbols artistically is symbolism. In literature, such as novels, plays, and poems, symbolism goes beyond just the literal written words on a page, since writing itself is also inherently a system of symbols.
Artistic symbols may be intentionally built into a work by its creator, which in the case of narratives can make symbolism a deliberate narrative device. However, it also may be decided upon by the audience or by a consensus of scholars through their interpretation of the work. Various synonyms exist for this type of symbol, based on specific genre, artistic medium, or domain: visual symbol, literary symbol, poetic symbol, etc. Read more ↗
Key Artists
Gustave Moreau
Founding master of French Symbolist painting whose intricate, jewel-like canvases of mythological and biblical subjects prioritized dreamlike atmosphere and inner psychological vision over objective reality.
Odilon Redon
Celebrated French Symbolist noted for his haunting monochromatic charcoal drawings ('noirs') and radiant color pastels that transformed visible reality to serve the invisible world of dreams and the subconscious.
Paul Gauguin
Post-Impressionist master and leader of Synthetist Symbolism who rejected naturalistic perspective and local color, utilizing flat, bold color planes to express spiritual ideas and internal vision.
Pierre Puvis de Chavannes
Influential French muralist whose monumental, simplified figure compositions in pale, chalky colors depicted allegorical dream worlds and served as an essential inspiration for younger Symbolists.
Fernand Khnopff
Leading Belgian Symbolist painter and sculptor known for enigmatic, enigmatic portraits and mysterious sphinx figures that explored themes of silence, identity, and isolation.
Arnold Böcklin
Swiss Symbolist painter whose moody, evocative landscapes filled with mythological creatures and allegories of mortality deeply influenced late 19th-century European art.
Edvard Munch
Norwegian master who bridged Symbolism and Expressionism, using intense, flowing colors and stark compositions to objectify subjective psychological states of love, anxiety, and grief.
Fun Facts
The literary and artistic movement was officially christened when poet Jean Moréas published the 'Symbolist Manifesto' in 'Le Figaro' on September 18, 1886, declaring that art should clothe the Ideal in a perceptible form.
↗ Source: tate.org.uk
Arnold Böcklin's 'The Isle of the Dead' was so hypnotic and immensely popular across Central Europe that Sigmund Freud, Vladimir Lenin, and Sergei Rachmaninoff all kept reproductions of it, and Böcklin painted five different versions to satisfy demand.
↗ Source: metmuseum.org
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