Art History 6

Listed below are the concepts of the Art eras and its important information such as their
descriptions, prominent artist, and artworks.

1. Symbolism
- Symbolism was a late 19th-century art movement of French and Belgian origin in
poetry and other arts seeking to represent absolute truths symbolically through
language and metaphorical images, mainly as a reaction against naturalism and
realism.
- Symbolist painters believed that art should reflect an emotion or idea rather than
represent the natural world in the objective, quasi-scientific manner embodied by
Realism and Impressionism.

Example of Symbolism

The Wounded Angel

by: Hugo Simberg

2. Art Nouveau
- Art Nouveau is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially
the decorative arts.
- Art Nouveau style is inspired by the natural world, characterized by sinuous,
sculptural, organic shapes, arches, curving lines, and sensual ornamentation.
- Art Nouveau artists drew inspiration from natural elements, such as flowers or
insects.
Example of Art Nouveau

Aubrey Beardsley, “The

Dancer’s Reward
(Salome),” 1894.

3. Fauvism and Expressionism

 - Fauvism can also be seen as a form of expressionism in its use of brilliant colors and
spontaneous brushwork.
- Fauvism is one of the earliest avant-garde art movements, and greatly influenced
German Expressionism, and known for their bold colors and techniques.
-
Example of Fauvism and Expressionism

The Scream, Munch,

1893

4. Futurism
- Futurism was an Italian art movement of the early twentieth century that aimed to
capture in art the dynamism and energy of the modern world.
- The characteristics of futurism are a focus on the technical progress of the modern
machine age, dynamism, speed, energy, vitality and change.

Example of Futurism

Unique forms of
continuity in space, 1913

5. Abstract or Non-objective
- The clear difference lies in the subject matter chosen. If the artist begins with a
subject from reality, the artwork is considered to be abstract. If the artist is creating
with no reference to reality, then the work is considered to be non-objective.
- Abstract art uses visual language of shape, form, color and line to create a
composition which may exist with a degree of independence from visual.
- Non-objective art defines a type of abstract art that is usually, but not always,
geometric and aims to convey a sense of simplicity and purity.

Example of Abstract or Non-objective

Wassily Kandinsky
Swinging 1925
6. Dadaism and Surrealism
- While Dadaism represented the mockery of rules and shared knowledge and
propagated meaninglessness and absurdity, surrealism was about finding a bridge
between the subconscious and the reality.
- Dada artists used collages, photomontages, assemblage or ready-made objects.
Surrealists painted illogical scenes or strange creatures using everyday objects.

Example of Dadaism and Surrealism

GIORGIO DE CHIRICO
Le Chant d'amour
(1914)

7. Constructivism
- Constructivist art focused on industrial production.
- Constructivists used stripped down, geometric forms and modest materials. Their
visual language existed of forms that they could draw with practical instruments like
compasses and rulers.

Example of Constructivism

El Lissitzky's poster beat

the Whites with the Red
Wedge (1919).