Art Criticism - The State University of New York

naked, or in the case of Jupiter, adorned with jewels. The nakedness is usually
concealed with an elaborately decorated loincloth. This, whether intentionally
or not, increases the suggestiveness. The emphasis on lapidary excess and on
ornate detail is an aesthetic divestment of the organic, which results in a distraction
from the traditional roles of gender. There has been some speculation
as to Moreau's sexual inclinations, based on the themes portrayed in his work
and on what little is known of his personal life. He lived with his mother until
her death and they had an extremely close relationship. He had a long deep
friendship with a Mme. Duruex, but there is no evidence of a romantic affair. He
did however arrange that they be buried in twin graves. The issue of Moreau's
sexuality is an unimportant one for this discussion, though many of the decadent
literati of the time were openly homosexual or toyed with their own sexuality,
Proust, Mallarme, Wilde and Montesquiou to name but a few. The male
beauty so common in Moreau's work could only have heightened its attraction
for them.
Frailty, and even illness, although usually feigned, was a fashionable
trait among the decadent dandies. While Moreau's male figures do not appear
ill, they are pale and lack stamina. They often appear weak and incapable of
dealing with the ordeals that come their way. This weakness is characteristically
portrayed in a languid but graceful manner, for example, the figure of
Orestes in Orestes and the Erinyes (1875) swoons in an almost feminine-like
faint. The male figures generally occupy biblical or mythical roles, or the figure
of the artist or poet. Moreau commonly features the tragic male poet, thereby
elevating the male to symbolize art. This characteristic of Moreau's work surely
increased its attraction in literary circles of the day. The tragic poet, who
withdraws from the world, parallels des Esseintes' rejection of all that is unpleasant,
arduous and unsympathetic. This is a reiteration of the theme of the
aristocrat as art, of making one's life a work of art, as elaborated in Against the
Grain. The watercolor Dead Poet Borne by a Centaur (1890) depicts an ethereal,
androgynous poet, being borne away from ardors of life by the centaur
against the background of a setting sun. The inimitable Orpheus (1865) embodies
once more the theme of martyrdom of the artist, sacrificed for his art.
In the novel Against the Grain, des Esseintes' ancestors are described
as noble and brave; they were the antithesis of the materialistic bourgeoisie
and decrepit aristocracy, which he strove to escape. His retreat to
Fontenay is prompted by a turning inward, a rejection of all outside diversions
and influences, other than those fashioned by his neurotic tastes. Gustave
Moreau might not be categorized as neurotic, but his art is imbued with references
to a more noble and innocent past. This persistent hearkening to past
times reinforces the idea of the decline of mankind and of civilization, a theme
also very dear to des Esseintes' heart. Modern heroes or landscapes found no
echo in Moreau's art; his ideal champions were the dead or, more often, the
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