Gustave Moreau: the other side of the art

When I visited the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, I was shocked. The small but impressive permanent collection has two Moreau's paintings. It's weird to see Moreau's art outside "home", and I'm not talking about France, I mean Gustave Moreau house in Paris.

I've taken my time before writing about his vision. Even He is considered a Symbolist painter, he has a particular mind.


The Symbolism was born in Paris almost at the same time of Impressionism. In fact, some experts consider Symbolism the big tree with branches that embrace all the movements that were born in Paris, Vienna and London in that time (the second half of 19th century). That includes Impressionism, Prerraphaelites, Post Impressionism, Secessionism among others.


Gustave Moreau was the founder of that big movement around 1861, after finishing his education and visiting Italy. As the Pre-raphaelites did, he took the inspiration from Renaissance. Greek mythology, and biblical stories are the themes in his paintings, but they are the veil. Everything is about suggestion. It is a poetic depiction of another world.


His artworks are characterized by their orientalism, eroticism, sensuality, and a mysterious holiness. Even it is a Greek God, you can think you are in front of God, the God of the Bible.




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