Symbolism, a significant art movement of the late 19th century that originated in France, Russia, and Belgium, possessed a profound influence on poetry and many other art forms. In literature, the inception of Symbolist style traces back to 1857 with the publication of Charles Baudelaire's "Les Fleurs du mal". The works of Edgar Allan Poe were a pivotal influence on Symbolism, providing numerous themes and images, particularly after being translated into French by Baudelaire.
During the 1860s and 1870s, the aesthetic of Symbolism was refined by Stéphane Mallarmé and Paul Verlaine. The movement gained momentum in the 1880s, drawing a generation of writers and was notably defined by the critic Jean Moréas, who coined the term "Symbolist" to differentiate it from the contemporary Decadent movement in literature and art.
Despite having a distinct style, Symbolist art carried elements of Romanticism, Impressionism, and Gothic influences. The term "Symbolism" comes from the Latin words 'symbolum' and 'symbolus,' meaning a token of faith and a sign of recognition respectively. It traces back to Ancient Greece, where a 'symbolon' was a piece of pottery split into two, and only when reassembled by two emissaries of allied city-states was seen as a sign of their alliance.
Symbolism emerged as a counterpoint to naturalism and realism, both of which aimed to depict the harsh realities in minute detail and uplift the ordinary. In contrast, Symbolism heralded spirituality, imagination, and dreams. Notably, some literature figures like Joris-Karl Huysmans transitioned from naturalism to symbolism, reflecting their growing inclination towards spirituality.
Symbolist poetry marked a distinct departure from Parnassianism that preceded it, yet it borrowed from its love for wordplay and musicality of verses. Whilst challenging its clarity, Symbolist poets like Mallarmé and Verlaine valued the Parnassianism's principle of "art for art's sake" and learned to reimagine it in their works. Symbolism also found a humorous critique from Arthur Rimbaud, who mocked Parnassians through his parodies.Painters representing Symbolism: Edvard Munch, Odilon Redon, Gustav Klimt, James McNeill Whistler, Franz von Stuck