One of the fundamental ideas of Symbolism was the synthesis of the arts. Music in its pureness was seen to be the highest form of art. Painting was expected to attain the clarity of music, which is why Symbolist painters often chose subjects connected with music. In The Violinist (1896) Ellen Thesleff sought musical clarity through the use of harmony.
Towards the end of the '90s Thesleff's Italian influences began to be assimilated into a painterly whole with simplified forms. Little by little Thesleff's works became disassociated with the realistic world and approached pure colour fantasies. No theories, no form, - only colour. Thesleff did not however venture into abstract colourism; her subjects remained figurative. But the means of representation became emphasized: colour and movement hold the composition together, the almost unrecognizable subject has very little significance in terms of the whole.
With the fullness of my heart I press myself against the sand in order to hear the heartbeat of the earth, and to the rhythm of that beat I set my hand to colour, selfassured and free . . .
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The Age of Symbolism 
Magnus Enckell : Lepäävä poika Herääminen Poika ja pääkallo Ellen Thesleff : Toskanalainen maisema Kevätyö Omakuva Viulunsoittajatar Beda Stjernschantz : Kaikkialla ääni kaikuu Ville Vallgren : Ylösnousemus, kevät Kaiku Leski Ruusutanssi Hugo Simberg : Halla Näky Syksy Piru padan ääressä Sallittu Kuoleman puutarha Satu II Haavoittunut enkeli Täti
