Art Criticism - The State University of New York

fection in Moreau's work, as exemplified in the overt praise of the latter's
painting in much of his prose: "He has smitten a whole generation of artists,
yearning today for otherworldliness and mysticism."11
Does the overwhelming appeal of Moreau's art among these decadent
authors warrant the charge of decadence against his art? In the discussion
of the lionization of Moreau's art by the decadent literary circle, I will
consider a broad spectrum of Moreau's works, with the aim of establishing
commonalities, and ultimately to determine if his ceuvre can be described as
entirely decadent. The charges of artificiality, deviation from the laws of nature,
perverse or unnatural treatment of the women and the passions, and the
rejection of modem life, will be made against Moreau's art. I will suggest that
the charge of decadence in art can result in differing verdicts depending on the
period when the charge is made. For this reason, and as in any fair trial, any
exonerating circumstances will be taken into consideration in the final judgment.
ll.lHECASEFOR lHE DECADENCE OF GUSTAVE MOREAU'S ART
The artist Gustave Moreau (1826 - 1889) studied at the Ecole des
Beaux-Arts in Paris and with the romantic artist Theodore Chasseriau. In keeping
with tradition, he spent three years in Italy studying the works of the
Renaissance masters. He achieved moderate success in his early Salon exhibitions,
and his first noteworthy success in the Salon of 1864 with Oedipus and
the Sphinx. Moreau dealt primarily with mythological themes in an overtly
erudite and allegorical manner. His work is marked by a progression from relatively
simple scenes to an ever-increasing preponderance of detail in his later
paintings. Moreau reworked his canvases frequently and his unfinished works
greatly outnumber the finished ones. He lived a life of near solitude and devoted
his entire energies to his work. From 1891 until his death he was a
professor in the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, where Matisse and Rouault numbered
among his students. Virtually all of Moreau's work is preserved. During his
lifetime he had several large exhibition galleries built above his house, which
he bequeathed to the state.
Moreau studied and assimilated art from ancient Rome through to the
nineteenth century. Although in Moreau's mind, and in reality, his work was
"reverently dependent on artistic tradition,"12 he was "most affected by the
paintings and sculpture of Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci."13 In his
continuing endeavor to produce an imaginary world and evocative effect, he
often combined many different influences, including "illuminated manuscripts
and sets of Persian, Indian and Japanese prints."14 The landscapes of Leonardo
are evident in the blurred, rocky chasms and gorges found in Oedipus and the
Sphinx (1864). In fact, the background landscape in an overwhelming number
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