One of my favourite books is Huysman’s Against Nature, where the anti-hero protagonist has a fascination with these paintings. Oscar Wilde used that book as the inspiration for the book that corrupts Dorian in The Picture of Dorian Grey. Against Nature is a short, but fascinating read. Would recommend!
Wow. Thanks for this. I'm usually indifferent to art, but these paintings are something else.
The article briefly notes his association with Symbolism, you might like some of the other Symbolist artists: