Did you know that 81 percent of adults in the United States of America think that fine art is important in the modern world? Painters throughout all eras of art have found creative and beautiful ways to create a powerful message with their paintings. One of the most effective forms of presenting a thought or message to their audience is through symbolism in art.

Symbolism allows artists to convey a message that has multiple meanings while fitting into the overall theme of the piece. If you’re interested in learning more about classic art like the landscape painting or modern art like graffiti art then it’s vital that you understand the symbolism that is getting used.

The good news is that you’ve found a great guide that makes it easy to find symbolism in fine art. Keep reading to learn more!

What Is Symbolism in Art?

Symbolism started gaining more prominence in art in the late 1800s, and it occurred as a rejection of the natural world when it came to painters of the era. The belief behind symbolism in art is that it should express an emotion or an idea rather than painting things for what they are.

It’s a way to demonstrate a recreation of the artist’s feelings as they created the fine art. Symbolism also opened the door for more spirituality in paintings. It’s a prominent feature in basquiat crown paintings.

Prominent Symbolism Pieces

Now that you know more about symbolism in art, it’s good to further your learning experience by diving into the most prominent symbolism pieces. Yellow Christ is a great piece to examine if you’re looking for fine art that is filled with symbolism.

The crucifixion of Jesus Christ is painted to look as if it occurred in the 1800s rather than the actual period of the events. The overall scenery, buildings, and clothing of the witnesses are all changed to represent different things. The scenery evokes a feeling of wanting to get away from the city and out into nature.

The Mona Lisa is another great example of symbolism when it comes to fine art. It’s a Rubik’s Cube of symbolism, from the roads in the background to the combinations of light and dark in the painting. Even the placement of the subject’s arms is meant to create a feeling of significant distance between the audience and the subject of the painting.

Starry Night by Van Gogh is great to look at if you want more symbolism. The trees and mountains in this painting are designed to create a sense of foreboding in the viewer.

Now You Know More About Symbolism in Art

Learning more about symbolism in fine art will aid you greatly the next time that you take a trip to an art museum with friends and family members. Symbolism is all about presenting an emotion or an idea to the audience rather than representing the natural world. The use of different colors and lighting have different representations, as do the clothing and scenery in paintings.

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