少年时期喜爱音乐，自1855年起开始学习绘画。1863年在波尔多结识版画家R.布勒斯丹，并向他学习版画技法。60年代，他也曾在巴黎美术学院学习过一段时间。之后,也曾向他传授过石版画技法。他既对、等人的版画技巧给予极高评价，并认真钻研、掌握，又善于注意研究当代新思潮。1879年出版石版画集《在梦中》。1881年在巴黎的《现代生活展》和1884年在独立沙龙展出了他的炭笔素描画，后被选为独立沙龙主席。他也是1886年布鲁塞尔的"20人展"和最后一届画展的参加者。

19世纪未，英国文学的唯美主义运动也对象征主义绘画产生了重要影响，这个运动的学说是，艺术只为本身之美而存在，也就是说，主张"为艺术而艺术"。唯美主义的哲学基础是康德的审美不涉及功利的学说。80年代后期，英国的唯美主义进入了最旺盛时期，其标志为王尔德的颓废主义小说《道林·格雷的肖像》(1891)和剧本《莎乐美》(1893)的出现，以及画家奥布里·比尔兹利(Aubrey Beardsley,1872--1898)为《莎乐美》作的插图的发表。唯美主义运动中最突出的美术家除了比尔兹利外，还有乔治·瓦茨(George Watts,1817--1904)和伯恩--琼斯(Bume-Jones,1833--98)。法国画家图卢兹--劳特累克(Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec,1864--1901)也明显地受到英国唯美主义的影响。

象征主义法国和英国的象征主义美术成就最突出，但在欧洲其它各国也涌现出一些《菩萨》奥迪隆·雷东《菩萨》奥迪隆·雷东著名的团体和杰出的画家，他们对象征主义绘画作出了重要的贡献。例如，比利时的二十大团，巴黎的玫瑰十字，德奥的分离派等等。杰出的画家有比利时的费尔南·赫诺普夫(Fernand Khnopff,1858--1921)，詹姆斯·思索尔
(James Ensor,1860--1949)，挪威的爱德华·蒙克(Edvard Munch,1863--1944)，荷兰的扬·托岁普(Jan Toorop,1858--1928)，德语国家的阿诺尔德·勃克林(Arnold BocMin,1827--1901)、古斯塔去·克利姆特(Gustav Klimt,1862--1918)等等。他们的作品大多流露出一种忧郁、颓废、苦闷、孤独、彷徨的情绪，这就是所谓的世纪末情调。
概而言之，象征主义的哲学基础是神秘主义，信仰那种理想的彼岸世界。对象征主义来说，重要的是反映个人的主观感觉，使个人从现实中超脱出来，把他引向虚无缥缈的"理念"世界。所以在象征主义作品中所能感受到的只是形象的抽象性和不稳定性，是那种强烈的主观色彩和含义的朦陇晦涩。

雷东 (1840-1916年)《独眼巨人》奥迪隆·雷东《独眼巨人》奥迪隆·雷东奥迪隆·雷东出生于法国南部的波尔多，幼年体弱，少年时代性格孤癖，喜欢独自冥想。普法战争时，30岁的雷东从军作战，因病退伍后，受到柯罗影响开始作风景画，并向版画家布里斯丁和画家热罗姆学习。
雷东从创作木炭素描的经验中，发现了表现神秘和幻想最有力的语言--黑色。黑色是夜的代表，也是神秘的象征，他的版画与素描是由飘浮的眼珠、半人的植物与昆虫等混合而成的超现实世界。人们称他为超现实主义的先驱。
90年代之后雷东开始画油画和色粉笔画，从这时起他的艺术特点已从原来的恐怖与幽暗，变成了欢乐与明朗。这些作品多由美丽的花卉和少女组成，其色彩灿烂中有节制，华丽而不俗艳。波纳尔曾说过:"这类作品表现了两种几乎相对的特色:一为非常纯粹的可见实体，另一为神秘的情感。"他在非现实的画中寻求"人之美和思想之威"。
雷东既反对写实派，也反对印象派，认为写实派缺少想像力，而印象派完全是感性的。他自己要探索一种具有思想魅力的人性美，他创造了自己的艺术语言而成为象征派最杰出的画家。
《独眼巨人》《维奥蕾特·海曼像》奥迪隆·雷东《维奥蕾特·海曼像》奥迪隆·雷东画中所呈现的从大地上生出的独眼怪物，形象虽然怪异，但却给人以温和、可亲，毫无恐怖之感。有人说雷东画中的怪物一旦出现在世界上，似乎是可以与人共处的，这表明雷东所创造的怪物是合人间情理的想像物。
雷东有着天生的音乐感受力，又受象征派诗人影响，还对生物学有研究，多方面的修养使他的作品自有一种诗意和典雅的气息。雷东的艺术创造对现代艺术产生很大影响，他被视为超现实主义之祖师。

雷东喜欢将人物肖像置于有鲜花的背景上，而这些鲜花又近乎是抽象的色块组合，那里杂和着非现实的想像，这使画面蒙上一层美妙的神秘面纱。
雷东始终坚持他的艺术想像是扎根于观察自然之中的。按照他的说法:"我的全部独特之处，就在于使那些被似乎是真的法则认为不真的人们人道地生活，尽可能地使可视的逻辑为了可视服务。《长颈瓶中的鲜花》奥迪隆·雷东《长颈瓶中的鲜花》奥迪隆·雷东"于是他成功地运用神秘的线条和色彩、巧妙的对比，和谐的组成一种纯造型语言，表现出作为其现实一部分的优美和幻想的世界。他唯一追求的是通过华丽强劲的颜色或最温和的黑白对比来进行自我表现。

在雷东的画中，十分喜欢描绘花卉题材。雷东之所以爱画花，这是因为他从花中看到人，他曾说过:"花朵和人的面孔一样，一朵花就是一个谜"，"它是灵魂的反射"。
这幅瓶花是画家去世前4年所作，长颈瓶中一束从野外采摘来的多种鲜艳小花，发出了艳丽耀眼的光彩，显示出热情、温和、纯洁和高贵的美，这是纯真人格的化身，是一首热情洋溢的抒情曲。
他献给诗人艾伦·波的组画(1882)可以说是视觉造型的诗篇，展现了诗人痛苦的内心世界，这也是一个没有光照、没有时间的黑夜王国。由于雷东差不多完全以单色作素描和版画，所以他后来的色彩画能达到非常简练的程度，甚至几乎没有真实的背景。

I love music and I began to learn painting since 1855. In 1863 he met in Bordeaux printmaker R. Buller Stein, and learn printmaking techniques to him. In 60s, he studied at Academy of Fine Arts in Paris for some time. After that, he has also been taught printmaking techniques. He has a very high evaluation of the printmaking techniques, such as, and others, and seriously study, master, but also good at paying attention to the study of contemporary new ideas. The album "published in 1879 in a dream". In 1881 in Paris, the "modern life" exhibition in 1884 and exhibited his charcoal drawings in the independent salon, after being elected chairman of the independent salon. He was also a participant in the 20 person exhibition and the last exhibition in Brussels in 1886.
In nineteenth Century, the British literary aestheticism movement has exerted an important influence on the movement of the theory of symbolism painting, art is only for itself the beauty of existence, that is to say, advocated "art for art's sake". Aestheticism is the philosophical foundation of Kant's aesthetic utilitarian theory does not involve. In late 80s, the British aestheticism entered the most vigorous period, its mark is Wilde's decadent novel "Dowling Grey portrait" (1891) and (1893) the script "Salome" appears, and the painter Aubrey Beardsley (Aubrey Beardsley, 1872--1898) for the publication of "Salome" as illustrations. The most prominent aesthetic movement artists besides Beardsley and George Watts (George Watts, 1817--1904) and Bourne - Jones (Bume-Jones, 1833--98). French painter Toulouse Lautrec (Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, 1864--1901) is significantly affected by the British aestheticism.
The most prominent symbolism of French and British symbolism art achievements, but in other European countries but also the emergence of some "Bodhisattva" Odilon Redon Odilon Redon's famous "Bodhisattva" groups and distinguished painter, who has made an important contribution to the symbolism painting. For example, the Belgian 20 group, Paris Rose Cross, Germany and Austria Sezession etc.. An outstanding painter is Fernand Henopf of Belgium (Fernand Khnopff, 1858--1921), by the name of the author of the book, ""
(James Ensor, 1860--1949), Norway Edward Monk (Edvard Munch, 1863--1944), Holland Yang Tito Pu (Jan Toorop, 1858--1928 years old), the German speaking countries (Arnold BocMin, 1827--1901 Arnold Bcklin), Gustave Kliemt (Gustav Klimt, 1862--1918) and so on. Most of their works reveal a kind of melancholy, decadence, depression, loneliness, anxiety, which is called the end of the century sentiment.
Generally speaking, the philosophical basis of symbolism mysticism, the belief that the other side of the ideal world. On the symbolism, it is important to reflect the subjective feeling of the individual, the individual out of reality in, he leads the world with no reality whatever "idea". So in the symbolism can just feel the abstract image and instability, which is the strong subjective color and meaning of Meng long obscure.

Redon (1840-1916) "Cyclops" Odilon Redon "Cyclops" Odilon Redon Odilon Redon was born in Bordeaux in southern France, juvenile frail, youth loner, love solitude. The Franco Prussian War, the 30 year old Redon army combat, Meddis, Connor started by influence of landscape painting, and learn from the artist Bliss Martin and artist Jerome.
Redon from the creation of charcoal sketch experience, found the most powerful expression of mystery and fantasy language - black. Black is the night, but also mysterious symbol of his prints and sketches by floating eyes, half the plants and insects mixed into the surreal world. People call him a pioneer of surrealism.
After 90s, Redon began painting and toner strokes, from then on his artistic features from the original horror and dark, turned into joy and bright. Most of these works by the beauty of the flowers and young girl, moderate color brilliant, gorgeous and not flashy. Bernal once said: "this kind of work shows two characteristics: one is a very pure visible entity, and the other is a mysterious emotion. "He seeks the beauty of human and the power of thought in the realistic painting".
Redon is opposed to realism, but also against the Impressionist school, that realism is lack of imagination, and Impressionism is completely emotional. He wanted to explore a kind of human nature with the charm of thought. He created his own art language and became the most outstanding painter.
"Cyclops" like "Violet Hyman" Odilon Redon "Violet Hyman" Audi like Ron Redon painting shows from the earth have one eyed monster, although the image of weird, but it gives a gentle, amiable, no sense of horror. Some people say that the monster in Redon's painting once appeared in the world, it seems to be able to coexist with others, which shows that the monster created by Redon is a reasonable imagination.
Redon has a natural sense of music, but also a symbol of the poet's influence, but also the study of biology, a wide range of self-cultivation so that his works have a poetic and elegant atmosphere. Redon's artistic creation has great influence on modern art, he was regarded as the founder of the surrealism.
Redon love the portrait of flowers in the background, and these flowers and color combination is almost abstract, complex and non reality where the mystery of this imagination, so that the screen covered with a layer of wonderful.
Redon insists that his artistic imagination is rooted in the observation of nature. According to him, "all that is unique to me is to make those people who seem to be true to the law to think that they are not true, to live as much as possible, so that visual logic can be viewed as a service. "Flask flowers" Odilon Redon "flask flowers" Audi Ron Redon "so he successfully used the mysterious lines and colors, subtle contrast, harmonious composition of a pure modeling language, shown as part of its realistic and beautiful world of fantasy. He is the only pursuit of gorgeous strong color or modest black and white contrast to self-expression.
In Redon's paintings, he likes to paint flowers. Redon loves painting flowers, this is because he saw people from the flower, he said: "the flowers and human faces, a flower is a mystery", "it is a reflection of the soul".
This picture is the vase painter died before 4 years, a variety of flask from the field picking to the colorful flowers, a gorgeous dazzling brilliance, showing enthusiasm, gentle, pure and noble beauty, this is the embodiment of pure personality, is a song's Lyric ebullience.
He dedicated to the poet Alan Bo's paintings (1882) can be said to be the visual style of poems, show the poet's inner world of pain, this is a no light, no time dark kingdom. Since Redon was almost entirely in monochrome drawings and prints, his later paintings of color could be very concise, with little or no real background.