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Unit 28: Didacticism, Symbolism, Impressionism and Expressionism

Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche had a role in originating modern Expressionism. In the publication Notes
The Birth of Tragedy, Nietzsche presented his theory of the ancient dualism between two types
of aesthetic experience—the Apollonian and the Dionysian; a dualism between the plastic “art of
sculpture”, of lyrical dream-inspiration, identity (the principium individuationis), order,
regularity, and calm repose; and, on the other hand, the non-plastic “art of music”, of intoxication,
forgetfulness, chaos, and the ecstatic dissolution of identity in the collective. Nietzsche argues
that classical tragedy is formed generally by both principles (later, he argues, it degenerates as
Socratic reason replaces the Apollonian principle). The basic characteristics of Expressionism are
Dionysian: bold colours, distorted forms-in-dissolution, two-dimensional, without perspective.
More generally, the term refers to art that expresses intense emotion. It is arguable that all artists
are expressive but there are many examples of art production in Europe from the 15th century
onward which emphasize emotion. Such art often occurs during times of social upheaval, such as
the Protestant Reformation, German Peasants’ War, Eight Years’ War, and Spanish Occupation of
the Netherlands, when the rape, pillage and disaster associated with periods of chaos and
oppression are presented in the documents of the printmaker. Often the work is unimpressive
aesthetically, but almost without exception has the capacity to cause the viewer to experience
strong emotions with the drama and often horror of the scenes depicted.
Expressionism has been likened to Baroque by critics such as art historian Michel Ragon and
German philosopher Walter Benjamin. A difference between the two is that “Expressionism
doesn’t shun from the violently unpleasant effect, while baroque does. Expressionism throws
some terrific “Fuck you”s, baroque doesn’t. Baroque is well-mannered.

28.5 Summary
Much of romantic poetry is marked by an egregious lack of realism amounting at times to
sheer escapism.
Symbolism was largely a reaction against naturalism and realism, anti-idealistic styles
which were attempts to represent reality in its gritty particularity, and to elevate the
humble and the ordinary over the ideal.
Expressionism was a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in
Germany at the beginning of the 20th century.
Expressionism was developed as an avant-garde style before the First World War. It re-
mained popular during the Weimar Republic, particularly in Berlin.
The basic characteristics of Expressionism are Dionysian: bold colours, distorted forms-in-
dissolution, two-dimensional, without perspective.

28.6 Keywords

Symbolism : Symbolism was a late nineteenth-century art movement of French,
Russian and Belgian origin in poetry and other arts.
Impressionism : Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement that originated with
a group of Paris-based artists whose independent exhibitions brought
them to prominence during the 1870s and 1880s.

28.7 Review Questions
1. What is Didactism?
2. What is symbolism? Explain.
3. What is difference between Impressionism and Expressionism? Explain.

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