Odilon redon

The Cyclops

• Artwork Name: The Cyclops
• Year: c.1898 — c.1900
• Medium: Oil on Canvas
• Dimensions: 51 x 64 cm

The artwork, titled «The Cyclops,» is an oil on canvas painting created by Odilon Redon between circa 1898 and 1900. Representing the Symbolism art movement and measuring 51 x 64 cm, it is categorized as a mythological painting. Currently housed in the Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo, Netherlands, the artwork depicts a mythical scene with a solitary Cyclops emerging from a fantastical, textured landscape, watching over a reclining nude figure. The ethereal, dreamlike quality of the brushstrokes and color palette enhances the mysterious and symbolic nature of the mythological subject matter.

Who Was Odilon Redon?

Photograph of Odilon Redon by Guy et Mockel, c. 1880 (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

Full Name	Bertrand Redon
Born	April 20, 1840 (Bordeaux, France)
Died	July 6, 1916 (Paris, France)
Notable Artwork	The Cyclops
Movement	Symbolism

Odilon Redon (1840–1916) was an influential French artist known for his imaginative art in pastel, lithography, and oil.

Born in Bordeaux, France, to an affluent family, he displayed an aptitude for drawing at an early age. Redon’s father wanted him to pursue architecture, but after he failed to pass the entrance exam to the École des Beaux-Arts, he began training as an artist. Due to the Franco-Prussian war, Redon’s career did not blossom until the late 1800s when he began producing work in pastel and oils.

Odilon Redon, “Ophelia,” 1900–1905 (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

Although he was contemporary to the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists, he rejected both movements. And while Redon exhibited with the group called Les Nabis in 1899 and shared some common interests with them, he was not a part of their style either. His oeuvre is associated with the Symbolist movement, which is typified by an interest in imbuing art with ambiguous metaphors and themes of romance, morbidity, and the occult.

Odilon Redon, “Butterflies,” c. 1910 (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

Characteristics of Odilon Redon’s Art

Imaginative Subject Matter

Odilon Redon, “The Cyclops,” c. 1914 (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

Perhaps most notable of Redon’s artwork is his imaginative subject matter. Instead of drawing inspiration from what he saw, Redon preferred to paint images from his dreams, nightmares, and stories from mythology. This resulted in drawings and paintings with a tenuous grasp on realism, and a preferred emphasis on emotion, color, and atmosphere.

Redon explains his process in his journal: “I have often, as an exercise and as a sustenance, painted before an object down to the smallest accidents of its visual appearance; but the day left me sad and with an unsatiated thirst. The next day I let the other source run, that of imagination, through the recollection of the forms and I was then reassured and appeased.”

Vibrant Color Palette

Odilon Redon, “Reflection,” c. 1900–1905 (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

Redon utilized a unique color palette in his art. The unusual combination of faded pastel tones and acrid hues led to compositions that were overall very vibrant to the eye. Additionally, his color choices were not usually intended to be naturalistic choices, and actually enhanced the otherworldliness of his unusual pieces.

Flowers

Odilon Redon, “Flowers,” 1909 (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

In regards to recurring motifs, flowers were among his most popular. Not only did he create numerous still lifes of floral arrangements, but he also incorporated blooms into his pastel drawings, prints, and paintings as decorative motifs to enhance the image.

Japonisme

Odilon Redon, “The Buddha,” c. 1906–1907 (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

Like many artists of the late 19th century and early 20th century, Redon was deeply inspired by Japanese art in a phenomenon called Japonisme. The influence can be seen in the references to Buddhism, as well as some of the natural motifs, such as trees, and plants that recall the forms scene in ukiyo-e, or Japanese woodblock prints.

Parsifal

• Artwork Name: Parsifal
• Year: c.1912
• Medium: Pastel on Paper
• Dimensions: 64 x 49 cm

«Parsifal,» created by the Symbolist artist Odilon Redon around 1912, is a pastel on paper artwork measuring 64 x 49 cm. Currently housed in the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, this literary painting delves into the realms of emotion and mysticism, typical of the Symbolist movement. The artwork portrays a somber and introspective figure enveloped in dark, ethereal hues, set against a backdrop of nebulous forms and muted tones. Its evocative use of light and shadow captures the contemplative essence of the mythic figure Parsifal, conveying a sense of introspection and spiritual quest.

The Port of Morgat

• Date created: 1883
• Dimensions: 26.99 × 29.53 centimeters (10.62 x 11.62 inches)
• Locations: Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, United States

The Port of Morgat is a fascinating work of art in the oeuvre of Odilon Redon. That’s because it was produced in the early 1880s, a time in his career when he mainly focused on creating lithographs and black-and-white drawings.

It was completed in 1883 during his second trip to Brittany on the Atlantic coast in the northwest of France. The artist went on long walks during his stay in this remote part of the country and often brought his notebook to make drawings. The town of Morgat appears to be hidden behind a large rock and boat which make up the foreground of this painting.

The Port of Morgat / Wiki Commons

Explore the Masters

12th century Art

13th Century Art

14th Century Art

14th century B.C. Art

15th century Art

16th century Art

17th century Art

18th century Art

19th century Art

1st-century BC Art

20th century Art

21st Century Art

2nd century Art

2nd Century BC Art

2nd Century CE Art

3nd Century Art

4th century BC Art

5th century BC Art

6th century B.C. Art

7th centry Art

7th century B.C. Art

9th century B.C. Art

African Art

AI Art

Albanian Art

Algerian Art

American Art

Ancient Art

Argentine Art

Armenian Art

Art Movements and Styles

Art Quotes — Literature

Australian Art

Austrian Art

Awarded Artist

Azerbaijani Art

Baroque Era style

Belgian Art

Blogger

Bohemian Art

Bolivian Art

Bosnian Art

Brazilian Art

British Art

British Museum

Brooklyn Museum

Bulgarian Art

Burmese Art

Cambodian Art

Canadian Art

Catalan Art

Chilean Art

Chinese Art

Christie’s

Cleveland Museum of Art

Colombian Art

Croatian Art

Cuban Artist

Czech Art

Danish Art

Digital art

Dominican Artist

Dutch Art

Ecuadorian Artist

Egyptian Art

Estonian Artist

Fai da te Art Blogger

Filipino Art

Finnish Art

Flemish Art

French Art

Genre painter

Georgian Artist

German Art

Greek Art

Guatemalan Artist

Haitian Artist

Hawaii Art

Hermitage Museum

Hudson River School

Hungarian Art

Impressionist art movement

Indian Art

Iranian Art

Iraqi Art

Irish Art

Israeli Artist

Italian Art

Japanese Art

Jewish Artist

Kazakhstani Artist

Korean Art

Kurdish Art

Latin American Artist

Latvian Artist

Lebanese Artist

Libyan Artist

Lithuanian Artist

Macedonian Art

Macedonian Artist

Maltese Art

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Mexican Art

Moldovan Artist

Moma

Mongolian Artist

Moroccan Artist

Musée d’Orsay

Musée du Louvre

Museo del Prado

Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza

Museum Barberini

Museum Masterpieces

MusicArt

National Gallery London

National Gallery of Art Washington

Netherlandish Art

Netherlandish Artists

New Mexico Artist

New Zealand Art

Nigerian Artist

Norwegian Art

Pakistani Artist

Paris painting

Peruvian Art

Photographer

Polish Art

Politica dei cookie

Portuguese Artist

Post-Impressionism

Realist Artist

Renaissance Art

Rijksmuseum

Romanian Art

Royal Academy

Russian Art

Scottish Art

Sculptor

Senegalese Artist

Serbian Artist

Singaporean Art

Sitemaps

Slovak art

Slovenian Art

Sotheby’s

South African Art

Spanish Art

Swedish Art

Swiss Art

Syrian Artist

Taiwanese Artist

Tate Britain

Thailand Artist

The Samuel Kress Collection

Tibetan Artist

Turkish art

Uffizi Gallery

Ukrainian Art

Uruguayan Artist

Van Gogh Museum

Vatican Museums

Venezuelan Art

Victoria and Albert Museum

Vietnamese Art

Welsh Art

Women Artists

The Golden Cell

• Artwork Name: The Golden Cell
• Year: 1892
• Medium: Oil and gold metallic paint on paper prepared with white ground
• Dimensions: 30.1 x 24.7 cm

«The Golden Cell,» an artwork by Odilon Redon created in 1892, exemplifies the Symbolism art movement. Executed in oil and gold metallic paint on paper prepared with a white ground, the portrait measures 30.1 by 24.7 centimeters and is housed in the British Museum in London, UK. The artwork features a contemplative blue profile set against a rich golden background, which evokes a sense of mysticism and introspection characteristic of Symbolist themes and aesthetic.

Deux jeunes filles en fleurs (Two Young Girls Among Flowers)

• Artwork Name: Deux jeunes filles en fleurs (Two Young Girls Among Flowers)
• Year: c. 1905-12
• Medium: Oil on Canvas
• Dimensions: 24 1/2 x 20 1/4 in.

The artwork, titled «Deux jeunes filles en fleurs (Two Young Girls Among Flowers)» and created by Odilon Redon around 1905-1912, is an enchanting oil on canvas measuring 24 1/2 by 20 1/4 inches. Currently housed at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, Texas, the painting depicts two young girls surrounded by a vivid floral composition. The use of luminous colors and delicate brushwork imbues the scene with a dreamlike quality, capturing the ethereal beauty and innocence of youth set against the backdrop of nature’s splendor.

Buddha

• Date created: 1904
• Dimensions: 159.8 x 121.1 centimeters (62.91 x 47.67 inches)
• Locations: Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Buddha is the title of one of Redon’s larger paintings. It depicts the Buddha who is sitting in his typical lotus position as he meditates below a tree. This painting emphasizes the keen interest that Redon developed in eastern spirituality, including Hinduism and Buddhism.

What’s remarkable about this artwork is that the Buddha figure almost appears to become part of the tree that he sits under. His face and clothes only slightly radiate in this remarkable composition. The colors used for the background were produced so they could blend into the design of an interior.

Buddha / Wiki Commons

Guardian Spirit of the Waters

• Artwork Name: Guardian Spirit of the Waters
• Year: 1878
• Medium: Charcoal
• Dimensions: 46.6 x 37.6 cm

«Guardian Spirit of the Waters,» a charcoal drawing by Odilon Redon created in 1878, is a symbolic painting emblematic of the Symbolism art movement. The artwork, measuring 46.6 by 37.6 centimeters, is currently housed at The Art Institute of Chicago. The composition presents a serene seascape, over which looms a large, ethereal face, symbolically representing a spiritual guardian. This mysterious and dreamlike image conveys a sense of the mystical and the unseen, characteristic of Redon’s exploration of the fantastical and the inner world.

The Crying Spider

• Artwork Name: The Crying Spider
• Year: 1881
• Medium: Charcoal
• Dimensions: 49.5 x 37.5 cm

«The Crying Spider,» created by Odilon Redon in 1881, is a symbolic painting rendered in charcoal, measuring 49.5 x 37.5 cm. Characteristic of the Symbolism art movement, the artwork depicts a human-faced spider exuding an aura of melancholia and desolation. The piece, held in a private collection in the Netherlands, portrays delicate yet haunting imagery where the central figure, marked by human-like sorrow, seamlessly merges with the spider, invoking a profound sense of surrealism and introspection. Redon’s mastery of charcoal brings depth to the artwork, enhancing its emotional resonance and symbolic depth.

The Green Vase

• Date created: 1900
• Dimensions: 73.03 x 53.98 centimeters (28.75 x 21.25 inches)
• Location: Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, United States

The Green Vase is another painting by Odilon Redon that shows the versatility of the artist. This is one of many still-life paintings that he completed and highlights the shiny green vase in which the flowers rest. The brown table shows a slight reflection of the vase.

The background of this fascinating work of art is equally remarkable as it changes from grey-blue at the bottom to a brownish hue at the top. The painting has traveled quite a bit and has been in the collection of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City since it was donated to it in 2015.

The Green Vase / Wiki Commons

The Red Sphinx

• Artwork Name: The Red Sphinx
• Year: c. 1912
• Medium: Pastel on Paper
• Dimensions: 61 x 49.5 cm

«The Red Sphinx,» created by Odilon Redon around 1912, is a pastel on paper artwork belonging to the Symbolism movement. It measures 61 x 49.5 cm and is part of a private collection. This symbolic painting captures a dreamlike composition rich in vibrant hues and abstract forms. Dominated by a striking red figure possibly representing the sphinx, the artwork is set against an intense, textured backdrop that blends deep blues and luminous yellows. The scene exudes an ethereal quality, drawing the viewer into its enigmatic atmosphere reflective of Redon’s symbolic and emotional artistic exploration.

Le Bouddha (The Buddha)

• Artwork Name: Le Bouddha (The Buddha)
• Year: c. 1905
• Medium: Pastel on paper
• Dimensions: 35 1/2 x 28 3/4 in. (98 x 73 cm)

«Le Bouddha (The Buddha)» is a pastel on paper artwork created around 1905 by Odilon Redon. The piece measures 35 1/2 by 28 3/4 inches (98 by 73 cm) and is housed in the Musée d’Orsay in Paris. The artwork presents a serene and contemplative depiction of the Buddha, standing in a richly colored, mystical environment. The scene is dominated by vibrant hues and intricate textures, with a prominent figure of the Buddha wrapped in a multicolored robe. A bare tree and abstract celestial elements in the background contribute to the spiritual and otherworldly ambiance of the piece.

Butterflies

• Date created: 1910
• Dimensions: 73.9 x 54.9 centimeters (29 x 21.6 inches)
• Locations: MoMA, New York City, United States

Butterflies is a painting by Redon produced during the final part of his life. This was a time that he exclusively completed artworks using either oils or pastels and he had also switched from black and white artworks to colorful paintings.

His subject matter was often little delicate feats of nature such as butterflies or seashells. He managed to paint them in such a way that they transform into dreamlike elements. Yes, Redon believed that art could form a bridge between the material and spiritual world.

Butterflies / Wiki Commons

The Smiling Spider

• Artwork Name: The Smiling Spider
• Year: 1887
• Medium: Charcoal
• Dimensions: 49.5 x 39 cm

The artwork, «The Smiling Spider,» created in 1887 by Odilon Redon, exemplifies the Symbolism movement. Rendered in charcoal, this symbolic painting measures 49.5 x 39 cm and is housed in the Musée du Louvre, Paris. The charcoal medium imbues the piece with a haunting, ethereal quality, befitting its symbolic genre. The composition is dominated by an expressive, almost surreal depiction of a spider with a distinct, unsettling smirk, set against a backdrop that subtly suggests an interior space, invoking a blend of curiosity and disquiet in the observer.