What is Symbolism in art?
An artistic and literary movement that suggested ideas through symbols and emphasized the meaning behind forms, lines, shapes, and colors.
How did Symbolism relate to modernism?
It developed new and often abstract means to express psychological truth and the idea of a spiritual reality behind the physical world.
Name a key source of Symbolism in visual arts.
Early 19th century Romanticism’s emphasis on imagination.
Which writer’s work influenced Symbolism?
Charles Baudelaire’s Les Fleurs du Mal.
What was a reaction against Symbolism?
The moralism, rationalism, and materialism of the 1880s.
What did Albert Aurier’s Symbolist manifesto state about art?
Art should be ideative, symbolist, synthetic, subjective, and decorative.
What was the significance of the concept of the spiritual in Symbolism?
It reflected anti-materialist philosophies and a concern for mysticism.
Identify a famous artwork from the Symbolist movement.
Death and the Masks by James Ensor.
What is Art Nouveau?
An ornamental style of art characterized by long, sinuous, organic lines.
When did Art Nouveau flourish?
Between about 1890 and 1910.
What was the aim of Art Nouveau artists?
To create a new style free of imitative historicism.
What does the term ‘Jugendstil’ refer to?
The German version of Art Nouveau.
What was the role of La Maison de I’Art Nouveau?
A Parisian art gallery that showcased Art Nouveau works.
What philosophy did Art Nouveau promote?
Applying artistic designs to everyday objects to beautify them.
What are common decorative elements in Art Nouveau?
- Leaf and tendril motifs
- Intertwined organic forms
- Curvaceous shapes
Which two artists are considered the greatest graphic artists of the Art Nouveau movement?
Jules Cheret and Alphonse Mucha.
What impact did Art Nouveau have on later design movements?
Influenced integrated design movements like Bauhaus and De Stijl.
What is Fauvism?
A style of painting characterized by the use of pure, brilliant color applied directly from paint tubes.
Who was the leader of the Fauvist movement?
Henri Matisse.
What was the reaction of critics to the Fauvist exhibition in 1905?
Critics were shocked and dubbed the painters ‘fauves’ or ‘wild beasts’.
Name two other major Fauvists besides Matisse.
- Andre Derain
- Maurice de Vlaminck
What are the characteristics of Fauvism?
- Radical use of unnatural colors
- Strong unified work appearing flat
- Individual expressions of the painter
- Bold brush strokes
What is Expressionism?
An artistic style depicting subjective emotions and responses rather than objective reality.
Who coined the term ‘Expressionism’?
Czech art historian Antonin Matejcek in 1910.
