Beginning as a literary movement, Symbolism soon became identified with a young generation of painters who wanted art to reflect emotions and ideas rather than represent the natural world in an objective way, united by a shared pessimism and weariness of decadence in modern society.
The symbolism arises in the second half of the 19th century, mainly in Catholic European countries where industrialization had developed to a great extent. Beginning as a literary movement, Symbolism soon became identified with a young generation of painters who wanted art to reflect emotions and ideas rather than represent the natural world in an objective way, united by a shared pessimism and weariness of decadence in modern society.