Symbolism

First applied to the poems of Stephane Mallarme and Paul Verlaine in 1886, the term "symbolist" was soon applied to the visual arts where a realistic depiction of the natural world gave way to imaginary dream scenes of psychological, sexual, and mystical content.

Symbolism was a broad international phenomenon but particularly present in France, where painters such as Gustave Moreau and Odilon Redon turned their backs on realism, naturalism, and impressionism to populate their canvases with esoteric, often erotic, visions. In place of Monet's light-suffused landscapes or the frank working-class subjects of Courbet, the Symbolists turned to figures from literature, the Bible, and Greek mythology to express experiences of love, fear, anguish, death, sexual awakening, and unrequited desire.

With featured work from Edward Burne-Jones, Puvis de Chavannes, Gustav Klimt, James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Gustave Moreau, Odilon Redon and many more, this book introduces Symbolism's great reach, intensity, and influence.

About the series

Born back in 1985, the Basic Art Series has evolved into the best-selling art book collection ever published. Each book in TASCHEN's Basic Genre series features:

approximately 100 color illustrations with explanatory captions

a detailed, illustrated introduction

a selection of the most important works of the epoch, each presented on a two-page spread with a full-page image and accompanying interpretation, as well as a portrait and brief biography of the artist