Art Nouveau: Definition, Origins, and Subject Matter
Art Nouveau
1.1. Definition
The term “modernism” encompasses various European and American trends that emerged in the late 19th century.
A. Nonconformist
B. Desire for Renewal
C. Opposition to Current Artistic Trends
(Realism and Naturalism). Literary critics have varying perspectives on this movement:
A. Modernism as a literary movement between 1855 and 1915, defined by aestheticism and escapism.
B. Modernism as not just a literary movement, but an era and attitude with diverse manifestations, some marked by aestheticism and escapism (Richard Gullón’s view).
C. An intermediate position (Fernando Lázaro Carreter): Literary modernism broke with prevailing aesthetics around 1880, reaching its peak before World War I, linked to the widespread spiritual crisis of the Fin de Siècle.
1.2. The Origins of Modernism
The modernist movement stems from several factors:
1.2.1. Historical and Social Roots
Modernism was characterized by nonconformity. This attitude reflected the writers’ disagreement, which can be summarized as:
A. Explicit opposition to the system in their works.
B. Displeasure expressed through isolation from society.
1.2.2. Influences
1.2.2.1. The French Influence
French literature influenced two art movements:
A) Parnassianism: Focused on formal perfection and escaping reality.
B) Symbolism: Reacted against art that merely represented reality, aiming to transcend sensory perception.
1.2.2.2. The Spanish Influence
A) Bécquer and the Symbolists: Bécquer was a key figure in Spanish Symbolism, influencing modernist poets.
B) Mester de Clerecía: Modernists were interested in the Alexandrine verse used in this medieval literary school.
Schulman notes: “Modernism is a syncretic art harmoniously interwoven with three streams: an alienating one (Parnassianism and Symbolism), an American one (indigenous literatures and traditions), and a Hispanic one (Bécquer, Clergy).”
1.3. Subject of Modernism
According to Ricardo Gullón, modernist literature can be classified into two main categories:
1.3.1. The Literature of the Senses
1.3.2. The Literature of Privacy
A) The Spiritual Crisis: Feelings of loneliness, melancholy, sadness, and uprooting from a society unable or unwilling to understand the artist. These sentiments were expressed through symbols like ‘evening,’ ‘autumn,’ and ‘parks.’
B) Evasion: Writers immersed themselves in a reality they disliked, expressing their displeasure in various ways. Some attempted to transform reality through criticism and political action, but most preferred to escape it.