After a brief marriage to actress Ellen Terry, his paintings became symbolist. He claimed to paint ideas rather than objects.
symbolism
Celebrating the bicentenary of this major and influential British painter and sculptor: a brief biography and selection of his paintings.
Probably the most sustained and brilliant series of narrative paintings since Rembrandt.
Comparison across a selection of his self-portraits and nudes shows how dramatically his style changed through his career.
In these last 2 years, his paintings reached a new peak in quantity and innovative exploration of colour and texture.
He divided his time between the bustle of Berlin and the family’s garden of Eden by the lake and mountains.
The war years started with buoyant patriotism, but ended in depression. He was saved by a chalet in Bavaria, and his wonderful landscapes.
Did Moreau succeed in changing history painting, or should his works remain obscure, a minor cul-de-sac in art history?
His last masterpiece has some of the richest symbols, icons, and decoration of all his works. A detailed look at his finale.
Far from being a recluse, the last years saw him teaching avidly, painting major works, and transforming his house into a museum.
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