The Blue Bird is a famous painting by Belgian artist and Symbolist painter Jean Delville. Completed in 1907, The Blue Bird depicts a nude woman with angelic wings standing beside a large blue bird. The painting is regarded as one of Delville’s most iconic works and is an important example of Symbolist art.
What is the meaning and symbolism behind The Blue Bird?
The Blue Bird is full of complex symbolism that reflects many of the themes and ideas associated with the Symbolist movement in European art during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Here are some of the key symbolic elements of the painting:
- The central female figure represents the human soul. Her nudity suggests purity and innocence.
- Her large blue wings represent the ability of the soul to transcend the material world through imagination and dreams.
- The blue bird is a traditional symbol of happiness and the fulfillment of dreams. Its blue color links it to the theme of imagination.
- The background depicts a starry night sky representing the cosmos and spiritual realm.
- A crescent moon hangs over the horizon, suggesting faith and the world of dreams.
In summary, Delville uses multiple symbols to convey a sense of the human soul rising above everyday life to reach a higher state of being through dreams, imagination, and spirituality. The blue bird itself encapsulates the ideal of dreams becoming reality.
What inspired Jean Delville to paint The Blue Bird?
Jean Delville was deeply influenced by the writings of the French poet and writer Charles Baudelaire, who championed the Symbolist movement in literature. In particular, Baudelaire’s poem “L’Azure” or “The Azure” is cited as a direct inspiration for Delville’s The Blue Bird painting. Let’s examine the poem:
But I shall keep my sacred flower,
This azure as my better part;
In days of danger and distress
It will be printed on my heart.
The poem uses the color blue and images of flying through the blue sky as symbols for the ability to channel dreams and imagination. Delville attempts to capture these motifs visually in his painting, using the blue bird and the soul rising into the starry sky as his own interpretation of Baudelaire’s symbolic blue flower.
In a broader sense, Delville was inspired by a range of influences from literature, music, philosophy, and his own mystical leanings in Theosophy and Rosicrucianism. Like many Symbolists, he wanted to convey truths through symbols rather than realistic representation.
What painting techniques did Jean Delville use?
Jean Delville used several advanced painting techniques to create the refined, dream-like atmosphere of The Blue Bird:
- Loose brushwork – The feathers of the bird and the hair and wings of the woman are painted loosely without fine detail.
- Soft focus – Areas such as the hands and feet dissolve into soft, blurred edges.
- Cool, muted palette – Dominated by blues and greys rather than bright, warm colors.
- Ethereal light effects – The stars glow softly and parts of the figure are illuminated gently by moonlight.
- Flat, two-dimensional space – The foreground and background are flattened out rather than receding into space.
By combining these techniques, Delville lends the scene a dreamy, otherworldly ambience. The paint application is expressive rather than strictly realistic. Along with the potent Symbolist imagery, his technical mastery underscores the theme of imagination transcending physical boundaries.
What was the reaction to The Blue Bird when it was first exhibited?
The Blue Bird elicited a wide range of reactions from critics and the public when Jean Delville first exhibited it in 1907 at the Paris Salon. Some of the key responses included:
- Praise for its originality – Many applauded the bizarre, unconventional imagery which broke new ground beyond Impressionism.
- Intellectual analysis – Critics tried to decipher the complex Symbolist iconography and underlying meaning.
- Moral outrage – More conservative viewers were offended by the full female nudity.
- Accusations of obscurantism – Some accused Delville of being deliberately obscure and overly intellectual.
- Comparisons to poetry – Many drew parallels between Delville’s evocative visual language and the exalted poems of Baudelaire and other Symbolists.
While not always fully understood by the general public, The Blue Bird found admirers among the artistic avant-garde who appreciated Delville’s bold departure from conventional painting. The mix of bafflement, praise, and controversy demonstrates the groundbreaking nature of Delville’s Symbolist vision.
How was The Blue Bird influential for future artists?
As a pioneering work of Symbolist art, The Blue Bird influenced subsequent painters in several key ways:
- Synthesis of symbols – Demonstrated how to combine interlocking symbolic motifs within a composition.
- Evocative style – Proved paint could be expressive rather than merely realistic through technique.
- Spiritual themes – Opened up mystical subject matter and iconography for modern art.
- Esoteric interests – Validated theosophical and occult ideas as inspiration for serious artists.
- Sexualized nudes – Established the nude as a valid subject beyond mere idealized beauty.
By boldly expanding the themes and visual language of art, Delville opened new creative avenues for Symbolists, Surrealists, and abstractionists to explore in the coming decades. Figures like Odilon Redon, Giorgio de Chirico, and Frida Kahlo all drew some inspiration from the trailblazing originality of The Blue Bird.
Where can The Blue Bird be viewed today?
There are several prominent public collections where art enthusiasts can view Jean Delville’s masterpiece The Blue Bird:
- The National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo, Japan
- The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium in Brussels
- The Musée d’Orsay in Paris, France
- The Art Institute of Chicago in the United States
The most well-known version, owned by the Brussels museum, is actually one of six slightly varying painted iterations that Delville created. The multiple originals reflect his pride in this composition and recognition of its importance at the time.
High quality reproductions of The Blue Bird are also widely available online and in art print shops for those who want to admire Delville’s mysterious, dream-like imagery.
Conclusion
More than a century after its creation, The Blue Bird remains a spellbinding masterpiece of Symbolist art. Jean Delville’s philosophical vision of the human soul transcending to a higher state of being seemingly materializes on the canvas through his potent symbols and masterful technique. The innovative painting rightfully deserves attention as a pioneering work that opened new terrain for modern art. With its dreamy ambience and esoteric imagery, The Blue Bird continues to inspire introspection, imagination, and flights of creative fancy.
