The Symbolist movement in art was influenced by the late nineteenth century Symbolist movement in poetry in France and Belgium.  The poets were influenced by Poe and artists who began to take up a darker aspect of Romanticism at about the same time. 

Both groups interacted with one another and were in reaction against what they perceived as the elevation of the ordinary.  Particularly in the visual arts, Symbolism came to be associated with the imagination, dreams, mythology and spirituality.

Symbolist artists used images from mythology, the ancient world and dreams to express eternal truths in a personal language of icons.  Among the bright lights of the movement were Odilon Redon, Jean Delville and Franz von Stuck.  Symbolism was a great influence on Art Nouveau and some Symbolist artists gradually drifted into Art Nouveau.