“Roter Engel” (Red Angel) by Karl Mediz, 1902

The famed Belvedere Museum in Vienna, Austria is hosting an exhibition entitled “Decadence: Aspects of Austrian Symbolism”. Noted as being the first large-scale exhibition of its kind, “Decadence” explores the artistic movement of symbolism which took hold of the Austrian art scene in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Symbolism has the notion of decadence at its core, also sporting traces of Romantic mysticism with a morbid flair and ambiguous philosophical and mythological symbols throughout. Other classic depictions of the movement involve a fascination with the cosmos.

It was not only prevalent in Austria, but internationally, although its roots were in Europe. The movement spanned an area from Mexico to Russia, and was not limited exclusively to painting, but also to other fine arts and literature. This particular exhibition displays many paintings and several sculptures.

“Frühling” (Spring) by Rudolf Jettmar,

Notable leaders of the movement in Austria included Karl Mediz and Rudolf Jettmar; symbolism also carried over into the avant-garde aesthetic, inspiring Gustav Klimt, among others.

The exhibition is has been on display since June 21st of this year and will continue to be open to the public until October 13th, 2013. For more information on the “Decadence: Aspects of Austrian Symbolism” exhibition, please click here. For more information on the Belvedere Museum, click here. For more information on the symbolism movement, please click here.

Those visiting the Belvedere are advised to take a small detour over to the adjacent Botanischer Garten (Botanical Gardens) of the University of Vienna. For more information, please click here.