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Hand-painted painting reproductions - Movements - Symbolism
Imagine owning a museum-worthy piece of art, created by the greatest artists in history and reproduced by passionate and experienced painters. At POD, we offer you the opportunity to make that dream a reality. We reproduce the works of art of your favorite painters from the Symbolism art movement in the smallest details, so that you can enjoy them in your own home.
Our reproductions are made by experienced artists who use the best materials and techniques. We are committed to providing you with works of art of the highest quality, which will bring joy and inspiration to your family for generations to come.
Symbolism: Art of Dreams and Mysteries
Origins & Historical Context
What drives an artist to paint the unseen and give form to the invisible? In the late nineteenth century, growing dissatisfaction with strict realism and detailed naturalism led painters to seek inspiration within their own minds. Beginning in France and Belgium in the 1880s, this movement placed intuition, emotion and mystery at its center. Poets and thinkers such as Charles Baudelaire and Stéphane Mallarmé argued that art should not simply copy the visible world but evoke inner states of mind. Inspired by their ideas, painters turned to symbols and allegory rather than literal depiction. Salon exhibitions such as the Salon de la Rose et de Croix in Paris provided a stage for works that explored myth, dream and the subconscious. These early displays created a new artistic language that invited viewers to look beyond surface appearances to hidden meaning.
The Craft Behind the Canvas
In this approach, painters made mood and symbolic content their highest priorities. Artists chose oil on canvas to achieve deep, layered color and a sense of depth. They used watercolor and mixed media for more translucent, dreamlike effects. Preparatory sketches in charcoal or ink helped plan the rhythm of shapes and symbols. Decorative patterns such as arabesques or stylized plants were woven around abstracted human forms so each shape carried emotional or spiritual weight. Color choices ranged from deep emerald greens and sapphire blues to muted rose and lavender tones, all balanced by bright accents that drew the eye. Compositions featured overlapping planes or floating figures in ambiguous space, inviting each viewer to create a personal narrative. Rather than hiding technique, brushstrokes were often left visible or gently glazed to heighten atmosphere. Mythic tales, allegories of love and loss, occult visions and nocturnal dreamscapes provided a rich source of themes. Can you imagine which symbols might awaken your own memories or longings?
Golden Age at the Turn of the Century
From 1890 to 1910, artists across Europe embraced these ideals with enthusiasm. Have you ever wondered how a single image can capture both a sacred legend and a private reverie? In Brussels, the group Les XX organized annual salons that showcased avant-garde works while in Vienna the Secessionists held exhibitions free from traditional constraints. Publishers produced luxurious books pairing symbolist paintings with poetry by authors such as Arthur Rimbaud and Paul Verlaine, creating experiences that combined word and image. Critics praised the emotional power and decorative richness of these works as a refuge from industrial modern life. Journals such as The Yellow Book in London promoted an international network of writers, painters, composers and architects united by a vision of art as a total, immersive experience. That era blurred the line between fine art and design and affirmed that every visual element could carry meaning.
Transition and Enduring Legacy
By the 1910s, new movements had absorbed symbolist principles while forging their own paths. Expressionism explored raw psychological states with vivid color and distorted forms. Surrealism inherited the focus on dreams and the unconscious by using techniques such as automatic drawing to reveal hidden thoughts. Decorative arts and architecture in the Art Nouveau style echoed the movement’s love of organic, symbolic motifs. Although the original salons and groups disbanded, the emphasis on inner experience lives on. Today, contemporary painters, writers and filmmakers draw on these techniques whenever they wish to convey mystery, suspense or spiritual depth. Do you notice echoes of those early visions in the art and media you encounter now?
Modern Influence and Reproductions
Masters such as Gustave Moreau, Odilon Redon and Fernand Khnopff remain admired for their visionary style and poetic imagery. Collectors prize their works for emotional resonance and decorative beauty. For those who wish to bring this dreamlike quality into their own spaces, high-quality reproductions on canvas offer an accessible alternative. Skilled artisans study original techniques, pigments and brushwork to create replicas that capture the movement’s depth, texture and color harmony. These reproductions can transform a modern interior, whether a living room, study or gallery; into a setting filled with poetic resonance and a sense of hidden meaning.
