Introduction

Hermann Baar was a key figure in Austrian literature at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. As the initiator of the "Viennese Modernism," he promoted modern literary concepts through newspaper reviews and prose, and propelled the international influence of writers such as Schnitzler and Hofstahl. Bar's "Overcoming Naturalism" and "The Irreversible Self" are representative works of his critical works. The former criticizes naturalism and advocates exploring inner feelings, while the latter analyzes the evolution and fictionality of the "self", becoming the core concept of the "Viennese Modernist". Bar's reputation and transcendent image in art criticism are thus established, but this simplified description may overlook details and value information. The article explores how Bar transitioned from "overcoming naturalism" to "irretrievable self", as well as the underlying ideological framework and artistic philosophy. Decadence is an important theme in Bar's early art criticism, and his understanding, acceptance, and alienation of decadence are synchronized with his intellectual development, providing an aesthetic style foundation for the formation of the concept of "irretrievable self". This article focuses on analyzing Bar's discourse on decadentism, in order to deepen our understanding of the "Viennese Modernism" and its relationship with European artistic trends.

The decadent style of individualism and neuroticism

During his time living in Paris, Hermann Bar was deeply influenced by the French art style and aesthetic tendencies, which led to his dissatisfaction with naturalism. He believes that art should showcase the structure of ideas rather than simply depicting the world. Bar regarded decadentism as the most important style in 19th century French art, with an individualistic tendency and emphasis on "nerves". Decadence is widely borrowed in literature and art, especially in France, which opposes romanticism. It describes the feeling of dispersion and separation, where individuals transcend groups to gain independent value and established boundaries are broken. Decadence requires the implementation of personalized principles from the mechanism of occurrence, leading to the evolution of individualism into symptoms similar to hysteria. Nizar defined decadence as an extreme emphasis on details and an unrestrained use of words, demanding that writers allow their senses to run wild. Nietzsche associated decadence with deception, believing that Wagner's art was pathological, corrupt, and declining. Bourgeois described decadence as the independence of works giving way to the independence of pages, sentences, and even words, highlighting an aesthetic state of anarchy. Gautier believed that decadence is "a refined and complex style, filled with subtle changes and exploratory research. Decadence starts from individualism, seeking 100% personalization and independence, but when it fully demonstrates subjectivity, it becomes a disease that can be observed and studied.

Sanbar's theory of decadence

Hermann Baar first mentioned the concept of decadence in "A Critique of Modernism", viewing De Lille Adam as a writer who transitioned from Romanticism to decadentism, but did not clearly define decadentism. Four years later, in "A Critical Study of Modernism," Barr clearly articulated his understanding of decadence, stating that decadentism is a new concept representing the artistic orientation of the new generation, with a common feature of escaping naturalism, pursuing intricate ideals, and shaping the inner world. Decadence is different from romanticism in that it is a "neural romanticism" that pursues emotions rather than feelings. It is a form of synesthesia or synesthesia that triggers physiological variations and is a new trend in pathology. Decadence emphasizes artistry and is linked to human dignity. Only by completely rejecting natural and entirely man-made creation can it be called "artistic". Decadence yearns for mysterious things, pursues infinity, despises everyday mundane things, and is always in a state of dissatisfaction and pursuit. Barr believes that no artistic trend is eternal and needs to be reflected upon and surpassed, and decadentism is no exception.

From 'Overcoming Naturalism' to 'Irreversible Self'

In depth exploration of Hermann Baaer's understanding of decadentism and its position in art theory, emphasizing the importance of decadentism in the development of Baaer's thought. Barr sees decadentism as a transition between old and new art, with naturalism serving as a bridge connecting the two. He described naturalism as a 'higher school of nerves', where artists train their sensitivity and sensitivity to express reality through neural experiences. Naturalism and decadentism share similarities in their focus on everyday things and artistic techniques, but decadentism places more emphasis on the description of psychological states. Barr further linked decadentism with symbolism, distinguishing between traditional symbolism and new symbolism, with the latter directly appealing to the nervous system and conveying a comprehensive experience of immediacy and physiology. Jameson mentioned in "Ancient and Postmodern" that Flaubert and Baudelaire are iconic figures in the introduction of bodily sensory centers into literature. Barr transformed Nietzsche's understanding of "self" into literary criticism language, emphasizing the importance of nerves in literature. Decadence attempts to break down the boundaries between art fields and eliminate the division of senses by the "self", which is reflected in Baudelaire's comments. Barr believes that art forms can communicate with each other, and human senses can also communicate with each other, because the "self" itself is a combination of elements. The practice of decadentism supports Mach and Barr's viewpoint that 'the self is irretrievable' and that in works of art, the 'self' is constantly renewed.

Five concluding remarks

Explored the core role of decadentism in the development of Hermann Baar's thought, emphasizing that it is not only an aesthetic preference, but also a key driving force for the development of his artistic concepts. Decadence connects the two core concepts of "overcoming naturalism" and "irretrievable self", reflecting the collapse of the "self". Barr's understanding of modernist literature and breaking the myth of "self" are isomorphic. From overcoming naturalism to decadentism and expressionism, he constantly transcends any definite artistic value, believing that all affirmed content will be surpassed by the next generation, and all essential things will be overturned. This continuous process of negation demonstrates a critical attitude of "negation" or "overcoming", which is Barr's understanding of modernist literature. The 'irretrievable self' is a rhetorical expression of this understanding. The collapse of the "self" is the dissolution of constant values from the perspective of the "self", and the establishment of new values from the perspective of the "collapse". The process of "breaking" and "establishing" is dialectical, dynamic, and continuously constructed. Bar's understanding of "decadence" runs through the entire process of the development of his modernist ideas, and understanding "decadence" helps to deeply understand Bar and the "Viennese Modernism".