# What's this style/period of art (Smashing Pumpkins "Mellon Collie...")?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-style-period-of-art-smashing-pumpkins-mellon-collie/327966>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [October 26, 2005, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-style-period-of-art-smashing-pumpkins-mellon-collie/327966 "2005-10-26T07:21:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-style-period-of-art-smashing-pumpkins-mellon-collie/327966/1 "2005-10-26T07:21:24Z")

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There’s a certain type of art, or a period or style, that I’ve always liked, but I can’t think of any definitive works or examples. It seems to be Victorian or very early twentieth centure in nature, and is preoccupied with very dark, almost spooky representations of the fantastic - elaborate, slightly creepy suns and moons with faces, perhaps animals dressed as people doing weird things, perhaps some arcane religious symbolism, and so on. It has a very “Alice in Wonderland” vibe.

The only thing I can think of is the album art to the Smashing Pumpkins’ _Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness_, which seemed to really latch on to this vibe. Here are some pictures of it.

[The cover art really nails the whole vibe/style/period/whatever in one image.](http://www.muzieklijstjes.nl/Tips/SmashingpumpkinsMellon.jpg)

[Weirdo sun from the liner notes.](http://painatalforever.blogs.sapo.pt/arquivo/Mellon_Collie_RT.jpg)

[Rabbbits playing baseball for an audience of babies?](http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/eltonjohn/43/mcisbk1.jpg)

[…and tow creepy victorian children with pet lamb and sacred heart](http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/eltonjohn/43/mcisbk3.jpg)

So, what’s being represented here? What’s this motif/mood/style/movement/period, and what are some other things that capture this?

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**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-style-period-of-art-smashing-pumpkins-mellon-collie/327966/2 "2005-10-26T08:27:36Z")

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The style is kinda British Victorian, no?

But the dark/gothic aspect, I think, is largely more recent, pomo stuff; maybe riffing on the sexual repression often associated with strict Victorian “morals.” Jack the Ripper and all that.

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**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-style-period-of-art-smashing-pumpkins-mellon-collie/327966/3 "2005-10-26T08:53:34Z")

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I don’t think that you’re going to get anything much more definitive than “Victorian commercial art.”

Not really as succinct as it ought to be, because the style persisted into the Edwardian period and beyond. Mainly advertising and illustration.

(I love it, too.)

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**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-style-period-of-art-smashing-pumpkins-mellon-collie/327966/4 "2005-10-26T11:34:16Z")

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Fin de siècle?