The last decade of the 19th century in Europe saw an explosion of evocative and disturbing works of art, reflecting a cultural cynicism felt around rapid industrialization, a perceived moral decline, and the rural flight to urban centers.

These anxieties inspired Symbolist artists to draw on a dark and mysterious vocabulary of demons, skeletons, femmes fatales, and the visual manifestation of inner dreams and nightmares. Strange Realities: The Symbolist Imagination explores this cultural landscape from many perspectives and geographies, including France, Belgium, Norway, and Germany. On the eve of Halloween, join curator Jay A. Clarke to take a closer look at these psychologically intense and relevant works. 

Support for this program is provided by the Allan McNab Endowed Fund.

Image: Jean Delville, Medusa, 1893. Regenstein Endowment Fund.