DU2667 Symbolism and decadence

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2010
Extent and Intensity
0/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Martina Schneiderová (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Alena Pomajzlová, Ph.D.
Department of Art History – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: prof. PhDr. Alena Pomajzlová, Ph.D.
Timetable
Wed 16:40–18:15 K33
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The chronological lectures will discuss the main personalities of European symbolism/ decadence, their different starting-points and their solutions of the problems. At the end of the course students should be able to critically think over several questions: 1. Relation between idealistic art and positivist science. - 2. Relation between symbolist art and literature. - 3. The subject matters of symbolism/ decadence and its sources. - 4. Is symbolism/ decadence the anticipation of modernism or rather is it regression with romantic features?
Syllabus
  • 1. Idea of symbolism (general; European culture movement); sign vs. symbol; theories of symbolism (in literature: Jean Moréas; in visual arts: G.-Albert Aurier, Paul Gaugin); decadence, its context and sources (literature, neuropsychology, Darwinism; Max Nordau).
  • 2. So called „precursors“ of symbolism (William Blake, Heinrich Füsseli, G. D. Friedrich, pre-raphaelites); revival of myth (Puvis de Chavannes, Gustave Moreau, Arnold Böcklin,…).
  • 3. Selected problems and pivotal personalities: idealism, allegory, symbol, myth, reverie, visaul arts and music, visual arts and literature, dandy, esthete, decadent, femme fatale, erotic, fascination with death (Félicien Rops), visual arts and science (John Ruskin and pre-raphaelites, Odilon Redon, Max Klinger), high and low (James Ensor, Josef Váchal), academic symbolism, question of spiritualism in visual arts (Joséphin Péladan a Salon Rose & Croix), theosophy, „psychic naturalism“ (Edward Munch), refusal the illusion of reality, syntetism (Émile Bernard, Paul Gaugin, Nabists), origins of abstraction.
  • 4. Territorial structuring: French symbolism, England-USA, Belgium-Netherlands, Germanic countries and Scandinavia, Russian symbolism, Italian symbolism.
  • 5. Czech symbolism (personalities and groups: circle of Moderní revue; Sursum – so called second symbolist generation).
Literature
  • Gibson, Michael, Le Symbolisme, Köln: Täschen, 1994.
  • Art in theory, 1815-1900 : an anthology of changing ideas. Edited by Charles Harrison - Paul Wood - Jason Gaiger. First publlished. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, 1998, xx, 1097. ISBN 9780631200666. info
  • LUCIE-SMITH, Edward. Symbolist art. London: Thames & Hudson, 1972, 216 s. ISBN 0500201250. info
  • Hofstätter, Hans H., Idealismus und Symbolismus, Wien : Anton Schroll & Co, c1972. 139 s.
  • Hofstätter, Hans H., Symbolismus und die Kunst der Jahrhundertwende, Köln: Du Mont 1965.
  • Le symbolisme en Europe, Rotterdam: Musée Boijmans van Beuningen, 1975
  • Lost Paradise – Symboliste Europe, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Montreal 1995.
  • HOLLEIN, Max. Wie im Traum - Odilon Redon. Edited by Markus Bernauer - Margret Stuffmann. Ostfildern ;: Hatje Cantz, 2007, 333 s. ISBN 9783775718936. info
  • HILTON, Tim. The pre-raphaelites. London: Thames and Hudson, 1970, 216 s. ISBN 0500201021. info
  • URBAN, Otto M. V barvách chorobných : idea dekadence a umění v českých zemích 1880-1914. Translated by Barbara Day - David Chirico. Praha: Obecní dům, 2006, 409 s. ISBN 8086300722. info
  • Moderní revue :1894-1925. Vyd. 1. Praha: Torst, 1995, 396 s. ISBN 80-85639-63-7. info
  • Lavrová, Hana, Sursum 1910-12, Praha: Památník národního písemnictví , 1996. 298 s.
  • WITTLICH, Petr. Česká secese. Vyd. 1. Praha: Odeon, 1982, 379 s. URL info
  • WITTLICH, Petr. Sváry zření : fazety modernity na přelomu 19. a 20. století, 1890-1918. Vyd. 1. Praha: Arbor vitae ve spolupráci s Galerií výtvarného umění v Ostravě, 2008, 341 s. ISBN 9788085091878. info
  • HUYSMANS, Joris-Karl. Naruby. Translated by Jiří Pechar. 2. vyd., v Odeonu 1. Praha: Odeon, 1979, 284 s. URL info
Teaching methods
lectures
Assessment methods
written and visual test
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Study Materials
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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