ABSTRACT
In broader terms, symbolism can be thought of as part of a philosophical idealism in revolt against a positivist, scientific attitude that affected not only painting but literature as well. Thought-painting might appear to move towards a subjectivity that bore a certain resemblance to that of symbolism, it might attempt to make emotion meaningful by connecting it with humanity at large and by seeing nature as its reflective extension, but its separated elements — representation and design — lack symbolism's desired fusion. Side by side with symbolism, which is highly personal in style and mirrors both aspiration and unease, romantic faith and isolating doubt, arises a style unconcerned with either philosophic idealism or individual, emotional conflict. Symbolism, with quite different ends in view, established disjunction between surface and depth which called attention to the work's function in painting beyond itself.
