Beauty and Aesthetics

Where it surfaces

• Άντιστροφή

  Imagery of lofty temples, statues, garlands, and sweet singing choirs emphasizes aesthetic beauty.

• II

  The vivid description of dawn's colors and light creates a scene of aesthetic beauty.

• The Garden of Eros

  The poem is a sustained invocation of beauty, urging the Spirit of Beauty to tarry despite the encroachments of science and commerce.

• Rosa Mystica

  The poems celebrate physical and artistic beauty, from the 'lily-girl' to the 'argent splendour' of Helen, and the landscapes of Italy.

• Sonnet on Approaching Italy

  The poem vividly describes the natural beauty of Italy—the turquoise sky, pine trees, and blossoming orchards—contrasting it with the sorrow of political captivity.

• Madonna Mia

  The lily-girl is described as a transcendent beauty, not made for this world's pain, with imagery of lilies, blue water, and marble.

• The New Helen

  Helen's beauty is described as divine and transcendent, with imagery of 'silver splendour of the foam' and 'white glory of thy loveliness.'

• Impression du Matin

  The poem transforms a mundane city morning into a series of painterly impressions, emphasizing visual harmony and color.

• Magdalen Walks

  The description of the natural world is highly aesthetic, focusing on color, light, and sensory beauty.

• Athanasia

  The flower's extraordinary beauty outshines natural elements like the asphodel, lily, and narcissus.

• La Bella Donna Della Mia Mente

  The poem lavishly describes the beloved's physical beauty through natural and regal imagery.

• Charmides

  The chapter celebrates physical beauty through descriptions of Charmides and the statue, emphasizing aesthetic pleasure.

• Flowers of Gold

  The poems celebrate visual and sensory beauty, from the 'ivory hands on the ivory keys' to the 'crimson in the dawning light' of the oleander.

• In the Gold Room

  The poem celebrates the woman's physical beauty through elaborate comparisons to natural and artistic objects.

• Impression de Voyage

  The poem opens with rich visual descriptions of the sea and sky, emphasizing the aesthetic beauty of the natural world.

• Written at the Lyceum Theatre

  The poem praises Ellen Terry's physical beauty and the aesthetic perfection of her performances, comparing her to art and classical figures.

• I: Portia

  Portia's beauty is compared to golden sun and Veronese paintings.

• II: Queen Henrietta Maria

  The queen's physical beauty (golden hair, crimson lips) is a central focus, offering escape from worldly strife.

• III: Camma

  The speaker pores over a Grecian urn, captivated by the beauty of its sculpted forms, and compares this aesthetic rapture to seeing Ellen Terry as Camma.

• The Fourth Movement

  Celebrated in 'Apologia' and 'Silentium Amoris', where beauty is a transcendent force and source of inspiration.

• Impression

  The imagery of the dawn as a 'white lady' and the golden light on branches emphasizes aesthetic beauty.

• Apologia

  The speaker asserts he has not walked where Beauty is unknown and has stood face to face with Beauty.

• Silentium Amoris

  The beloved's beauty is compared to the resplendent sun, overwhelming the speaker's artistic expression.

• Fantaisies Décoratives

  The poem focuses on decorative beauty, with rich visual details of the girl, her lute, and the balloons.

• I: Le Panneau

  The poem is a highly aesthetic, decorative tableau emphasizing visual beauty, color, and artistic form.

• II: Les Ballons

  The balloons are depicted as beautiful, luminous objects against the sky, with rich imagery of satin, silk, pearls, and gemstones.

• Symphony in Yellow

  The poem is a deliberate aesthetic exercise, transforming a mundane urban scene into a symphony of color and sensory impression.

• In the Forest

  The vivid imagery of the faun's ivory limbs, brown eyes, and dancing shadow, combined with the interplay of music and madness, celebrates aesthetic experience.

• With a Copy of A House of Pomegranates

  The poem celebrates the beauty of the Golden Girl and the artistic creation of the book.

• The Disciple

  The Oreads praise Narcissus's beauty, and the pool's love is rooted in the reflection of its own beauty in his eyes.