Decadents. 19C. Writers who believed art should be above conventional morality. Mallarmé. Wilde. Verlaine.

Mallarmé, Stéphane. 1842-98. French poet, initiated Symbolism. Après-Midi d’un faune 1865.

Symbolists. 19C French literary movement expressing truth subjectively by symbols. Spread to art, music. Verlaine. Mallarmé. Munch.