Another writer who influenced me was M. H. Abrams, whose work Natural Supernaturalism explores the “moment” of epiphany in Wordsworth and the Romantics. His book understands poetry as a state of mind — an embodiment of insight or a moment of consciousness. Few art historians make that leap into the experiential — they seem stuck in notions of progressive or predictive history or in deconstructive theory that ignores the art. My approach has met little support from art historians, but has captured the imagination of poets and artists. Despite working in academia, I am now firmly placed on the fringes, as an alternative thinker — which is fine. In fact it’s better.

Surrealism became a much more original movement than Symbolism, creating original visual ideas and mythologies, rather than relying on ancient motifs.

Symbolism drew from the mythologies of the past, from the ancient near East and the Hellenistic world. These dovetailed with colonialism to produce a fascination with all things exotic or “oriental”. The late 19th century interest in “the orient” reversed the colonial subjugation of these countries by envisioning them as erotic or exotic. But the use of narrative and mythology in Symbolism limited its originality. I don’t think it’s accurate to say that Surrealism grew directly from Symbolism, because symbolist painters often illustrate myths, appealing to our guilty enjoyment of sentiment. In contrast, the Surrealists sought the origins of the imagination that creates dreams, images and mythologies. While the Symbolists explored earlier mythologies, the Surrealists uncovered the impulses by which those mythologies were formed. The force of the imagination, that impelled the Surrealists, intensified in the early 20th century. Surrealism became a much more original movement than Symbolism, creating original visual ideas and mythologies, rather than relying on ancient motifs. Primarily it was the French poets — Gérard de Nerval and Baudelaire — who provided the intellectual platform for Surrealism. The other major influences were Giorgio de Chirico, and of course, Freud. Nerval connected supernaturalism with a somnambulistic dream state. His imagery layered archaic, Egyptian, Christian, and personal motifs. He focused on the sublime and erotic power of the woman; his lover, a muse, the goddess, and the Virgin Mary, wrapped into one image. Neglected for many years except by the Surrealists, Nerval pointed the Surrealists toward a profound, mutable eroticism — l’amour fou.