After 1865

Gustave Moreau made this artwork, After, using pencil and white gouache. It depicts a woman riding an otherworldly creature. The imagery is heavily symbolic and draws upon mythological, literary, and religious themes. It could connect to the fin-de-siècle culture in France, a period of introspection and a fascination with the mystical and the sublime. The image, created in France, employs visual codes from various cultures and eras. The creature itself appears to be a composite of different animals. Moreau was associated with the Symbolist movement. This movement rejected realism and naturalism in favor of exploring subjective experience, spirituality, and the power of imagination. Moreau taught at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he encouraged his students to develop their unique visions. His influence extended to artists like Henri Matisse and Georges Rouault. To understand Moreau's work better, you might consider researching the Symbolist movement, the history of the École des Beaux-Arts, and the cultural climate of late 19th-century France. This is how we reveal how art is contingent on social and institutional context.