REFF - Faculty of Philosophy Repository
University of Belgrade - Faculty of Philosophy
    • English
    • Српски
    • Српски (Serbia)
  • English 
    • English
    • Serbian (Cyrillic)
    • Serbian (Latin)
  • Login
View Item 
  •   REFF
  • Istorija umetnosti / History of Art
  • Radovi istraživača / Researcher's publications - Odeljenje za istoriju umetnosti
  • View Item
  •   REFF
  • Istorija umetnosti / History of Art
  • Radovi istraživača / Researcher's publications - Odeljenje za istoriju umetnosti
  • View Item
JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

Mythological themes in painting of Gustave Moreau

Authorized Users Only
2017
Authors
Nikolić, Jovana
Article (Published version)
Metadata
Show full item record
Abstract
Mythological representations of Gustave Moreau were based on a wide knowledge and a great respect of ancient times, identified by the artist as the starting point of the European culture and art, and from which he drew the inspiration. However, he went a step further, interpreting the myth with regard to his time and symbolism in painting, and transforming it into a new symbol whose meaning was revealed only within the community and the climate in which it was created. The triumph of men over mythological creatures, monsters and dangers, represents for Moreau the heroism of the whole human race. There can be recognized three types of heroes in his work a hero rebel who opposes the higher powers, for which he is punished, exiled hero, who can not reconcile with society so he is rejected or he goes away, and the hero faced with his arch-enemy, in the moment of the greatest temptation. In constant conflict with the hero is the anti-hero, which Moreau created on the base of female characte...rs in ancient mythology. In this way, he confronted the magical powers and sensuality with the determination of mind and spirit. A typical anti-hero in his paintings was the beauty who seduces, tempts and leads to danger. This made the painter close to the phenomenon of the evil woman, popular in the arts and culture of the 19th century. The juxtaposition of heroes and anti-heroes in the same painting, thus highlighting their differences, is also characteristic of Moreau's art. Using the myth, the painter speaks of the contrast between two types of personalities, as well as the conflicts within each individual the struggle of reason against emotion, spirit against instinct. The dualism of human nature, heroic humanity and monstrous animality, was presented as a struggle between spirit and matter, in which the artist sometimes left the questions open to interpretation, but a belief in justice and truth can be seen in his entire work.

Keywords:
symbolism / myth / hero and anti-hero / Gustave Moreau / antiquity
Source:
Zbornik Matice srpske za likovne umetnosti, 2017, 45, 217-228
Publisher:
  • Matica srpska, Novi Sad

ISSN: 0352-6844

WoS: 000424588600015

[ Google Scholar ]
Handle
https://hdl.handle.net/21.15107/rcub_reff_2358
URI
http://reff.f.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/2358
Collections
  • Radovi istraživača / Researcher's publications - Odeljenje za istoriju umetnosti
Institution/Community
Istorija umetnosti / History of Art
TY  - JOUR
AU  - Nikolić, Jovana
PY  - 2017
UR  - http://reff.f.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/2358
AB  - Mythological representations of Gustave Moreau were based on a wide knowledge and a great respect of ancient times, identified by the artist as the starting point of the European culture and art, and from which he drew the inspiration. However, he went a step further, interpreting the myth with regard to his time and symbolism in painting, and transforming it into a new symbol whose meaning was revealed only within the community and the climate in which it was created. The triumph of men over mythological creatures, monsters and dangers, represents for Moreau the heroism of the whole human race. There can be recognized three types of heroes in his work a hero rebel who opposes the higher powers, for which he is punished, exiled hero, who can not reconcile with society so he is rejected or he goes away, and the hero faced with his arch-enemy, in the moment of the greatest temptation. In constant conflict with the hero is the anti-hero, which Moreau created on the base of female characters in ancient mythology. In this way, he confronted the magical powers and sensuality with the determination of mind and spirit. A typical anti-hero in his paintings was the beauty who seduces, tempts and leads to danger. This made the painter close to the phenomenon of the evil woman, popular in the arts and culture of the 19th century. The juxtaposition of heroes and anti-heroes in the same painting, thus highlighting their differences, is also characteristic of Moreau's art. Using the myth, the painter speaks of the contrast between two types of personalities, as well as the conflicts within each individual the struggle of reason against emotion, spirit against instinct. The dualism of human nature, heroic humanity and monstrous animality, was presented as a struggle between spirit and matter, in which the artist sometimes left the questions open to interpretation, but a belief in justice and truth can be seen in his entire work.
PB  - Matica srpska, Novi Sad
T2  - Zbornik Matice srpske za likovne umetnosti
T1  - Mythological themes in painting of Gustave Moreau
EP  - 228
IS  - 45
SP  - 217
UR  - https://hdl.handle.net/21.15107/rcub_reff_2358
ER  - 
@article{
author = "Nikolić, Jovana",
year = "2017",
abstract = "Mythological representations of Gustave Moreau were based on a wide knowledge and a great respect of ancient times, identified by the artist as the starting point of the European culture and art, and from which he drew the inspiration. However, he went a step further, interpreting the myth with regard to his time and symbolism in painting, and transforming it into a new symbol whose meaning was revealed only within the community and the climate in which it was created. The triumph of men over mythological creatures, monsters and dangers, represents for Moreau the heroism of the whole human race. There can be recognized three types of heroes in his work a hero rebel who opposes the higher powers, for which he is punished, exiled hero, who can not reconcile with society so he is rejected or he goes away, and the hero faced with his arch-enemy, in the moment of the greatest temptation. In constant conflict with the hero is the anti-hero, which Moreau created on the base of female characters in ancient mythology. In this way, he confronted the magical powers and sensuality with the determination of mind and spirit. A typical anti-hero in his paintings was the beauty who seduces, tempts and leads to danger. This made the painter close to the phenomenon of the evil woman, popular in the arts and culture of the 19th century. The juxtaposition of heroes and anti-heroes in the same painting, thus highlighting their differences, is also characteristic of Moreau's art. Using the myth, the painter speaks of the contrast between two types of personalities, as well as the conflicts within each individual the struggle of reason against emotion, spirit against instinct. The dualism of human nature, heroic humanity and monstrous animality, was presented as a struggle between spirit and matter, in which the artist sometimes left the questions open to interpretation, but a belief in justice and truth can be seen in his entire work.",
publisher = "Matica srpska, Novi Sad",
journal = "Zbornik Matice srpske za likovne umetnosti",
title = "Mythological themes in painting of Gustave Moreau",
pages = "228-217",
number = "45",
url = "https://hdl.handle.net/21.15107/rcub_reff_2358"
}
Nikolić, J.. (2017). Mythological themes in painting of Gustave Moreau. in Zbornik Matice srpske za likovne umetnosti
Matica srpska, Novi Sad.(45), 217-228.
https://hdl.handle.net/21.15107/rcub_reff_2358
Nikolić J. Mythological themes in painting of Gustave Moreau. in Zbornik Matice srpske za likovne umetnosti. 2017;(45):217-228.
https://hdl.handle.net/21.15107/rcub_reff_2358 .
Nikolić, Jovana, "Mythological themes in painting of Gustave Moreau" in Zbornik Matice srpske za likovne umetnosti, no. 45 (2017):217-228,
https://hdl.handle.net/21.15107/rcub_reff_2358 .

DSpace software copyright © 2002-2015  DuraSpace
About REFF | Send Feedback

OpenAIRERCUB
 

 

All of DSpaceInstitutions/communitiesAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis institutionAuthorsTitlesSubjects

Statistics

View Usage Statistics

DSpace software copyright © 2002-2015  DuraSpace
About REFF | Send Feedback

OpenAIRERCUB