Dreams in Art History

Abstract

This paper analyses and investigates oneiric art throughout the history by studying five iconic artists—Hieronymus Bosch (c.1450-1516), William Blake (1757-1827), Francisco de Goya (1746-1828), Odilon Redon (1840-1916) and Salvador Dalí (1904-1989) —and their works in depth, discovering the evolution of the theme Dream. The theme is put in different contexts—both Eastern and Western—and focuses on Western art from the Renaissance to the Avant-gardes in the 20th century. The techniques applied, art styles, artistic intentions and the lives of the artists are also explored.