The inner eye and the imagination is the priority of symbolism by allowing the unseen to be seen. It is close to abstraction throughout the use of form and contour.
It was Academic painters who first explored symbolism, notably Gustave Moreau and Pierre Puvis de Chavannes. Moreau painted opulent and mysterious biblical and classical scenes.
Puvis de Chavannes developed more restrained poetic motifs. However, the most important artist to advance Symbolism was the sculptor Auguste Rodin. His major work was two enormous doors representing Dante’s The Gates of Hell. Rodin imagined the scenes described by Dante as a world with limitless space and a lack of gravitational pull. This allowed for ceaseless and radical experimentation by the artist, with figures that obey no rules in their poses, emotive gestures, or sexuality. For Rodin, the chaotic population on The Gates of Hell enjoyed only one final freedom—the ability to express their agony with complete abandon. In the end, the artist discarded the specific narratives of …show more content…
This iconic artwork uses even more dynamic broken brushstrokes and powerful single colours to express feeling.
The overall meaning of the painting expresses van goghs isolation and struggles as an unappreciated artist. The 11 stars most likely symbolize Van Gogh's critics and it is possible that Van Gogh identifies himself with the looming cypress tree in the foreground of the painting. The large cypress in Starry Night is arguably the most eyecatching but at the same time ambiguous "thing" in the painting, mostly because of its size and the way its dark and almost sinister presence contrasts so heavily with the brightly colored stars and luminescent shapes and strokes in the night sky. As Starry Night was painted during a sad period in Van Gogh's life, it would not be surprising that the depressed artist identified with this almost scary and uncanny cypress
It was Academic painters who first explored symbolism, notably Gustave Moreau and Pierre Puvis de Chavannes. Moreau painted opulent and mysterious biblical and classical scenes.
Puvis de Chavannes developed more restrained poetic motifs. However, the most important artist to advance Symbolism was the sculptor Auguste Rodin. His major work was two enormous doors representing Dante’s The Gates of Hell. Rodin imagined the scenes described by Dante as a world with limitless space and a lack of gravitational pull. This allowed for ceaseless and radical experimentation by the artist, with figures that obey no rules in their poses, emotive gestures, or sexuality. For Rodin, the chaotic population on The Gates of Hell enjoyed only one final freedom—the ability to express their agony with complete abandon. In the end, the artist discarded the specific narratives of …show more content…
This iconic artwork uses even more dynamic broken brushstrokes and powerful single colours to express feeling.
The overall meaning of the painting expresses van goghs isolation and struggles as an unappreciated artist. The 11 stars most likely symbolize Van Gogh's critics and it is possible that Van Gogh identifies himself with the looming cypress tree in the foreground of the painting. The large cypress in Starry Night is arguably the most eyecatching but at the same time ambiguous "thing" in the painting, mostly because of its size and the way its dark and almost sinister presence contrasts so heavily with the brightly colored stars and luminescent shapes and strokes in the night sky. As Starry Night was painted during a sad period in Van Gogh's life, it would not be surprising that the depressed artist identified with this almost scary and uncanny cypress