Odilon Redon

Fine Prints: Lithographs

 

With a clear symbolist vision and a bold graphic style that was inimitably his own, Odilon Redon (1840 - 1916) stands apart in 19th century printmaking.

Having produced nearly 200 prints, he is best known for his lithographs, with their sumptuous blacks and refined textures, and he strove to represent the invisible in evocative compositions that mark the limits of creative imagination.

Odilon Redon, Yeux Clos, lithograph

Odilon Redon  (1840 - 1916)

Yeux Clos

Closed Eyes

Mellerio 107

lithograph, 1890, on chine appliqué paper, the only known state (?), a fine impression of this splendid and subtle print, one of his best known

Odilon Redon here seeks to evoke a mental state of introspection, as suggested by both the peaceful repose of the androgynous figure, and the expanse of barren landscape spreading across the foreground, its emptiness reflecting deep meditation.