ArtDependence | Symbolism in Art

Article date: Friday, April 28, 2023

Symbolism of The Sunflower in Mary Cassatts' Painting "Woman With a Sunflower"

Mary Cassatt (1844-1926) was an American painter known for her portraits, genre scenes, and depictions of mother-child relationships. She is considered one of the leading artists of the Impressionist movement, which emerged in France in the late 19th century.

Article date: Thursday, April 27, 2023

Symbolism of Peaches in "Still Life with Peaches" by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

"Still Life with Peaches" by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, completed in 1881, features a grouping of peaches and pears on a table. The painting captures the soft, velvety texture of the peaches and the delicate skin of the pears.

Article date: Thursday, September 30, 2021

Symbolism of the Sea Shell in Botticelli’s 'The Birth of Venus'

Kitty Jackson takes art lovers and curious minds through the symbolism and meaning of the sea shells used by Sandro Botticelli in his work, 'The Birth of Venus'.

Article date: Monday, August 3, 2020

Symbolism of the Citron in Eva, Satan and the Citron

“The idea was to reference the ‘forbidden fruit’” says Eyckermans. “In the original version of the bible it was described as a citron. In most parts of Europe, citrons were still unknown and the translation called it an apple. In some medieval paintings you can see Eve holding a citron.”

Article date: Friday, December 13, 2019

The Symbolism of The Baby in Keith Haring’s Work

Perhaps one of the most recognizable image from Haring’s work, the radiant baby is a simple outline of a baby or person crawling on the floor on their hands and knees with lines emanating from them. Haring himself has commented that for him this baby represents youthful innocence, purity and goodness.

Article date: Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Symbolism of the Earring in the Girl with a Pearl Earring

As far as historical records show, Vermeer did not leave Delft for any significant amount of time. Could this girl with her pearl earring and far away stare represent Vermeer himself, confined by the canvas and by the art itself, but dreaming and longing for far distant lands and adventures?

Article date: Friday, September 27, 2019

Symbolism in Art: Goldfish

Born in 1869 in Le Cateau, France, Matisse began to paint whilst recovering from an operation. His painting and sculpture work would defy the expectations of the art world and make him one of the best-known artists of the 20th century and the leader of a group of the Fauve group. The Fauve group defied the realism and representation of Impressionism, and instead used strong colour and shapes to express emotion.

Article date: Thursday, September 5, 2019

Symbolism in Art: The Bull in Picasso’s Guernica

Picasso was once quoted as saying ‘If all the ways I have been along were marked on a map and joined with a line, it might represent a minotaur’. Certainly, the magnificent minotaur was certainly one of Picasso’s most persistent obsessions, as was it’s less fantasistic cousin, the bull. The bull and the bullfighter are repeated images in Picasso’s work, seeming to speak to his Spanish roots.

Article date: Monday, September 2, 2019

Rubens and the Symbolism of the Self Portrait

Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens was one of the most important artists of the seventeenth century as well as a successful diplomat, scholar and courtier. His paintings were highly regarded by the nobility and he was an influential figure during most of his lifetime. He specialised in creating altarpieces, history paintings, portraits and landscape work. His unique style captured the Baroque aesthetic.

Article date: Wednesday, August 7, 2019

Roy Lichtenstein and the Symbolism of the Cartoon

American pop artist Roy Lichtenstein shook up the art world with his comic-strip inspired paintings and his bold reproductions of cartoon characters. He took images from popular culture, and reproduced them in his art to create new contexts and meanings, becoming one of the most famous pop artists of all time. Lichtenstein also made sculpture, prints and ceramics, but is best remembered for his painted works.

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Anna Melnykova, "Palace of Labor (palats praci), architector I. Pretro, 1916", shot with analog Canon camera, 35 mm Fuji film in March 2022.

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