Symbolism emerged in Europe in the 1880s–90s as a revolt against positivism and naturalism. Rather than depicting the visible world, Symbolist painters sought to evoke the invisible — mystery, longing, death, and spiritual transcendence — through myth, dream, and allegory. Key figures include Gustave Moreau, Odilon Redon, Arnold Böcklin, and Fernand Khnopff.