Gustave Moreau: The Apparition By Theodore Chasseriau

Je m'appelle Gustave Moreau, and I just introduced myself in my native language. You see, I was a french painter, born in Paris, who specialized in symbolism. I was born on April the 6th in the year 1826. My paintings lean a bit towards romanticism and neoclassicism with the themes focusing on the mysticism, in the beginning, but my style changed more as my career progressed. I often painted using my dear friend, a woman named Adelaide-Alexandrine Dureux, as the model. Historians speculate that she was actually my mistress, however, I cannot say, for that would ruin he secrecy. I was influenced by Theodore Chasseriau, since I was his student, this is unsurprising. His painting of the sea goddess entranced me. I believe that image may be what started my obsession with mythological and religious
The Apparition is often said to both are very erotic and violent. I will of course be the first to admit, The Apparition is a rather violent painting. Firstly, it depicts a decaptitated head, specifically, the head of John the Baptist. Salome, the woman in the painting, requested his head after prompting from her mother, from King Herrod. Her dancing pleased him so much, that he did exactly as she asked. However, some have speculated today that since none of the faces in the painting look horrified it could simply be Salome’s hallucination or a group hallucination. Of course, I will never tell. Hercules and the Hydra depicts Hercules battling the hydra. Salome Dancing Before Herrod is almost a precursor to The Apparition. In 1880 I exhibited Galatea and Helen. My darling Alexandrine died that year and my style of painting became darker. My brushstrokes became looser and my pigments mixed much thinner. I also began painting more abstract works and my figures became more blurred. After twenty-seven years together I was