Complex sentence: The Symbolist painter Gustave Moreau (1826--1898) was the movement's inspirational teacher; as a professor at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, he pushed his students to think outside of the lines of formality and to follow their visions.
Split into simpler sentences: The Symbolist painter Gustave Moreau (1826--1898) was the movement's inspirational teacher. As a professor at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, he pushed his students to think outside of the lines of formality and to follow their visions.