Post-Impressionism, Symbolism, and Art Nouveau

Time Periods:
Post-Impressionism (1880-1890)
Symbolism (1890s)
Art Nouveau (1890s-1914)

Post-Impressionism:
  • While the Impressionists stressed light, shading, and color, the Post-Impressionists wanted to move towards abstraction and explore underlying structure, while preserving traditional elements such as perspective. 
Symbolism: 
  • Symbolists embraced a mystical philosophy in which the dreams and inner experiences of an artist's life became a source of inspiration. 
Art Nouveau: 
  • Developed mostly in Europe: Brussels, Barcelona, Paris, and Vienna 
  • Seeks to eliminate the seperation among various artistic medias and combine them into one unified experience 
  • Buildings usually designed, furnished and decorated by one artist or group of artists
  • Relies on vegetal and floral patterns; complexity of designs; undulating surfaces
  • Curvilinear; enjoyed use of iron