Gustave Moreau Biography
Gustave Moreau, one of France's leading Symbolist painters, was born in Paris on April 6, 1826. In the early years of his career, Moreau trained under the eclectic painter Theodore Chassériau. His first known work was the Pietà, created in 1852 and today preserved in the cathedral of Angouleme. During his trip to Italy in 1857, Moreau studied the works of important classical painters such as Michelangelo and Mantegna. As time passed, Moreau developed a personal style influenced by symbolism, which made him famous for the representation of mythological and religious subjects characterized by erotic elements. His paintings, although mainly focused on historical, biblical and mythological subjects, presented an exotic, often oriental and dramatic atmosphere. Following Delaunay's death, Moreau was appointed professor at the Ecole des Beaux Arts, a role he held until his death. Moreau loved to experiment with new techniques, created non-figurative paintings and manipulated colors in order to obtain a full-bodied and shiny mixture, a characteristic that some critics have interpreted as a precursor of abstract expressionism. Gustave Moreau died in Paris on 18 April 1898.
