Symbolist Art Theories : A Critical Anthology

The author presents the development and the aesthetic theories of the symbolist movement in art and literature. Included are writings (many never before translated or reprinted) by artists, designers, architects and critics, along with Dorra’s own commentary. Dorra traces symbolism and its roots from artist to artist and critic to critic from the 1860s to the early 20th century. The decorative arts and architecture are examined as well as painting and sculpture. The arts and crafts movement, art nouveau, the work of Eiffel in France and Sullivan in the United States are all well represented. The close relations between symbolist poets and artists are reflected in the chapter on literary developments. Baudelaire, Rimbaud, Verlaine and Mallarme are here, but so, too, are writers less well known. A section on the post-impressionists and the “Artists of the Soul” rounds out Dorra’s text, and his epilogue lays the groundwork for what was to follow symbolism.