Aesthetic Movement in Europe

Oscar Wilde: 1854 - 1900

1) As a rebel against traditional Victorian traditions, the Aesthetic movement viewed art as an enjoyable pleasure without the heavy morals and values that Victorian art pushes. Wilde believed that art should be appreciated purely or it's aesthetics, and it greatly influenced Oscar Wilde's life -- especially his writing. Within "The Picture of Dorian Gray" the Aesthetic movement is seen through every page of the book, as it acknowledges how art should not be used as an explanation of the artist. 

2) A dandy is a man who draws a lot of importance towards his outer appearance, and how refined he is. 

3) The preface of the novel almost acts as a warning sign -- a caution for those who look at art to find the reflection of the artist. Wilde believed in the Aesthetic Movement which values art for its beauty rather than its deeper meaning. Coinciding with the events that were occurring during the time "The Picture of Dorian Gray" was realized, the preface was created to say that none of his writings and works could be held against him as it was purely for arts sake, and is used to tell a story, not HIS story. 

Collage

"The death of a beautiful woman is, unquestionably, the most poetical topic in the world."- Edgar Allan Poe

Poe and his inspiration drawn from the tragic death of his lover showcase through his several writings about death. It is undeniable that one of his most common motifs is the death of beautiful woman, reoccurring in many of his famous works such as 'Annabel Lee' and 'Ligiea'. His fascination drives the gothic literature movement, turning conventionally morbid topics into captivating and beautiful writing. Within Poe's 'Annabel Lee', the narrators yearning for his deceased lover is riddled with misery and longing seen here, "A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling my beautiful Annabel Lee, [...] chilling and killing my Annabel Lee, [...] And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side of my darling -- my darling -- my life and my bride, in her sepulchre by the sea--- in her tomb by the sounding sea." I drew inspiration from 'Annabel Lee' for my collage as the poem struck out to me as the most tragic of Poe's works. The motif of the sea is seen through my collage as the background, as within the poem, the speaker sits by the sea next to her tomb. I also incorporated the clouds into the picture as a symbolism of her illness, and how the wind 'chilled' Annabel Lee. The photo of the woman is centered in the middle of the photo, and filtered in black and white to symbolise death; her expression and the filter creates a paleness to her face -- she is lifeless without colour. The picture of the woods reminded me of the eeriness that Poe is able to create through his writing; the photo fit the author's aesthetic so well. The two photos within the white circles is also two of Poe's most common motifs: substance abuse and the heart.