Abstract
In this thesis I explore the concept of materiality in Gustave Moreau’s oeuvre. For Moreau, this was an important concept, which influenced his art in a variety of different ways. Looking at three interpretations of the concept, I show how Moreau reconsidered this concept in many practical and theoretical ways throughout his career. I look at Moreau’s repeated depictions of the same subjects, showing how he saw the subject as a suggestion with many possible material interpretations. In addition to considering Moreau’s widely-varied conceptions of the subject of Salome, I also show how the writers who described his paintings saw the works themselves as similarly suggestive, elaborating on what they saw in the paintings. Next, I look at how Moreau responded to contemporary theories of degeneration, showing women and animals as physical and sexual threats to man’s transcendence. I consider three themes he explored in this process: flesh-eating animals, combined human and animal body parts, and bestiality. Finally, I look at Moreau’s focus on the physical surfaces of his paintings. Moreau struggled with the problem of how to depict immaterial ideas using the material medium of paint, and as a result, he used four different techniques to emphasize the surface of his canvases. I consider his use of smooth, realistic surfaces combined with elaborate details, as well as his technique of layering designs over his canvases. I also look at his use of a stained-glass-inspired technique, and his looser, more expressionistic sketches.
|
