Nature and symbolism in 19th century Western Art

19th century is a substantial century acting like a bridge between old and new where grand evolutions occurred. In the second half of the century, in reaction to the materialism that West was inclined due to technological developments, symbolism - with its mysterious nature- was on the rise. Symbolists make use of symbols whilst adding individualism to romanticism`s implicit form based on thought and emotion. They benefit from the romantic painting`s approach based on nature and man to express their own pessimistic representations. At the end of the century, art becomes in contrast to nature, and traditional depictions of nature give way to a new reality. Art of painting begins to deal with metaphysical and its mysterious nature. Symbolists who are interested in sleep, dream, fantasy, metaphysics, spell and death like subjects that are beyond man`s knowledge, tend to ascribe mystical characteristics to nature. For many symbolists who favour Baudelaire`s views, nature is a way to express the imaginary world they have created. Instead of imitating the nature, they prefer to convey the one they created in their imagination to the audience. The individualism of symbolism paves the way for genuine outcomes within context of nature. The examples found during that era are more diverse in terms of form and content than ever before in Western Art of Painting.