19th Century Art Movements

Symbolising

Symbolism was a late nineteenth-century art movement from France, Russia and Belgium. In literature, the style had its beginnings with the publication Les Fleurs du mal (The Flowers of Evil, 1857) by Charles Baudelaire. The aesthetic was developed by Stéphane Mallarmé and Paul Verlaine during the 1860s and '70s. In the 1880s, the aesthetic was articulated by a series of manifestos and attracted a generation of writers. The name "symbolist" itself was first applied by the critic Jean Moréas, who invented the term to distinguish the symbolists from the related decadents of literature and of art. Distinct from, but related to, the style of literature, symbolism of art is related to the gothic component of Romanticism.
Symbolism was largely a reaction against naturalism and realism, anti-idealistic styles which were attempts to represent reality in its gritty particularity, and to elevate the humble and the ordinary over the ideal. Symbolism was a reaction in favour of spirituality, the imagination, and dreams. Some writers, such as Joris-Karl Huysmans, began as naturalists before becoming symbolists. This change represented his increasing interest in religion and spirituality.
Symbolists believed that art should represent absolute truths that could only be described indirectly. This is why they painted in a very metaphorical and suggestive manner, endowing particular images or objects with symbolic meaning.

This is a painting by Gustave Moreau in the symbolism style. It depicts a woman being watched by a sleeping man with an eye on his forehead. This symbolises that although nature appears to be dormant and lifeless it is always watching us though we do not notice.

Romanticism

Romanticism was based on emotion rather than rationale, and placed an emphasis on the individual rather than on society. These works are characterized by a brighter use of color and expressive brushstroke, and were meant to evoke emotion. Within the context of Romanticism, the Barbizon School of artists gained momentum in the middle of the 19th century and propelled painting towards realism and an increased emphasis on images of nature. Rather than serving as a backdrop, scenes of nature became the subject of more and more paintings. The tranquility that is depicted in these paintings is supposed to be an expression of how the artist was feeling when looking at the scene.

This is a painting by Eugene Delacroix called Collision of Moorish Horsemen. It is a good example of several characteristics of Romanticism  art. The subject is a reflection of the excitement of Eastern culture. Furthermore, the action in the painting is delineated by rapid brushstrokes, and there is an emphasis on colour.