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Symbolism

Symbolism was an artistic movement that originated with a group of French poets in the late 19th Century. The movement came into existence with an expression of an idea over the realistic description of the natural world. The term ‘symbolism’ was coined in 1886 by French critic Jean Moreas to describe the poetry of Stephane Mallarmi and Paul Verlaine.

The concept of symbolism was incorporated in visual arts, to depict the natural world using symbols as metaphors. Symbolist artists aim to depict various forms of expressions and emotions using varied symbols. The work of symbolist artists and writers was also fueled by new psychological content particularly erotic and mystical. Common themes included: love, fear, anguish, death, sexual awakening and unrequited desire. Though the movement began in France, symbolism was an international avant garde movement that spread across Europe and America during the last two decades of the 19th Century.    

The use of symbolism in Visual art is a great way for an artist to communicate. Artists often use tangible symbol like an animal, object or plant. Certain types of symbolism are representative of art produced during specific time in history.

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