Symbolists

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

  1. A group of artists and writers who advocate for the expression of emotions and ideas through symbolic imagery and language
  2. Artists who utilize symbols and metaphors to convey deeper meanings, often rejecting realism in their work and literature
  3. Creators associated with a movement emphasizing the use of abstract representation to evoke feelings and suggest ideas rather than depict reality directly

Etymology: The term arose in the late 19th century to describe a group of poets and artists who sought to express ideas and emotions through symbolic imagery rather than direct description. This movement, known as Symbolism, took root primarily in France and Belgium as a reaction against the naturalism and realism that dominated the arts. The word itself is formed by adding the noun-forming suffix "-ist" to "symbol," indicating a person who practices or advocates symbolism. The root "symbol" comes from the Greek "symbolon," meaning a sign or token, originally referring to an object broken into parts and given to two parties as a means of identification when brought back together. This sense of something representing a deeper meaning carried over into the arts, where a symbol stands for an idea beyond its literal form. The suffix "-ist," from Greek via Latin and French, was commonly used in English by the 19th century to denote adherents of a particular movement or philosophy. The word gained prominence as critics and historians categorized poets such as Charles Baudelaire, Stéphane Mallarmé, and Paul Verlaine as part of this school. Their work emphasized mood, suggestion, and the evocation of the unseen, favoring metaphor and allegory over straightforward narrative. The movement influenced not only literature but also painting and music, extending the reach of the term beyond its literary origins. By the early 20th century, "symbolists" had become a standard label in English to describe this avant-garde circle, encapsulating a shift in artistic sensibility that paved the way for modernism. While the root "symbol" retains its broad meaning, the noun form captures a distinct historical moment when artists consciously turned to the symbolic as a means of deeper expression.

Synonyms: representationalists, figuratives, metaphorists, allegorists