Odilon Redon

Odilon Redon: Master Among Symbolist Artists, 1840-1916

I'm embarrassed to say I've forgotten most of the details. Paris in my mid-20s. A smallish, lovely museum exhibiting the work of Odilon Redon. Was it the Orangerie? Jeu de Paume? I remember the friends I was with, the chilly gray day, but most of all I remember a painting that almost knocked the breath out of me...

(Note: The Odilon Redon painting above -- Flower Clouds, 1903 -- and others in this article are in the public domain)

Beatrice, 1885

Photos don't do this painting justice. In person it's luminous, almost glowing--beatific, really. For someone like me who responds intensely to color, the color use alone was a religious experience :) Happily, I repeated the experience with painting after painting that day in Paris, and later at a Redon exhibit back home in Chicago. Beatrice became just the first of many Odilon Redon paintings I would come to love. One of the best Symbolists, if not the very best in the world of painting, this somewhat under-the-radar figure is well worth exploring.

What Was the Symbolist Movement?

Symbolism was a late-19th-century art movement of French and Belgian origin in poetry (namely Charles Baudelaire's Les Fleurs du Mal, or The Flowers of Evil) and other arts, including painting. Rejecting the rationalism and materialism that had come to dominate Western European culture, Symbolism stressed strong emotions as a source of aesthetic experience.

Symbolist poetry is better known than symbolist painting, through renowned poets like Paul Verlaine and Arthur Rimbaud, along with Baudelaire. As for symbolism in painting, arguably the two other biggest names besides Redon were fellow Frenchmen Gustave Moreau and Pierre Puvis de Chavannes. French symbolism is perhaps better known than the work arising from other countries, though this became a pan-European and, to some extent, a global movement. (Some key French symbolism characteristics are described in this Christie's collector guide.)

Symbolists countered more naturalistic, realistic approaches during a time of rapid change. "Symbolism offered an antidote, not only to scientific uncertainties, but to the materialism of industrial Europe," explained a Scottish National Gallery essay. "It rejected reality, offering an escape into the world of dreams and visions, spiritualism and mythology."

European Symbolists seem to coalesce around some key themes. Spirituality, dreams, and the imagination were favorite themes of Symbolist artists, including Redon. As with motifs in literature, these elements recur consistently in symbolist paintings.

For a deeper look at what symbolism for art was all about, check out this brief essay from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and its accompanying visuals. This guide from Masterclass is good too. Time-travel to see a defining document from this multi-arts movement: the Symbolist Manifesto by poet and essayist Jean Moreas, published in September 1886 in French newspaper Le Figaro.

"I am certain about what I will never do--but not about what my art will render."

Some of My Favorite Odilon Redon Paintings

"My originality consists in putting the logic of the visible to the service of the invisible."

Redon's Background, Influences and Impact

Redon was born Bertrand Jean Redon. Rather adorably, Odilon was a nickname derived from his mother's name, Odile. (Cool tidbit: She was French Creole, and Redon was conceived in New Orleans, though actually born overseas in Bordeaux, France, in April of 1840. Extremely uncool tidbit: Redon's father met and married his mother while making his fortune in the 1830s New Orleans slave trade.)

Redon was sent away as a child, reportedly for health reasons, to be raised by his uncle -- let's hope a less evil figure than his dad, but who knows? -- in the Medoc region of France.

Scroll to Continue

10 Punjabi Songs Dedicated to Father

The LA Wildfire Disaster Changes Everything

Eleven Most Important Vitamins of Intrinsic Synthesis

Later, from an adult perspective, he recalled being a "sad and weak child" who loved to watch clouds changing shape.

This pioneer of French symbolism showed an early aptitude for art, winning a drawing prize at the tender age of 11, but (reportedly at his father's urging) attempted to pursue an architecture degree. Luckily for us art lovers, he failed the architecture exams and turned to sculpting, etching and lithography. He worked heavily in charcoal before embracing pastel and oils in the 1890s.

Redon was open to influences from disciplines beyond the visual arts, including the work and knowledge of a botanist friend, Armand Clavaud, and the symbolist poetry of Charles Baudelaire and Stéphane Mallarmé, who would also become a close friend. (Baudelaire is widely considered "father of symbolism" in literature.) Redon was reportedly influenced by the writings of Edgar Allen Poe, too. And beyond the Western world, he was interested in Japanese art and Eastern religions.

In turn, Redon and the Symbolists influenced...

• Fauvism: Henri Matisse, Andre Derain and the Fauves, who were inspired by his use of color. (Practitioners of Fauvism -- les fauves is French for "wild beasts"-- were a small group of artists who shocked critics with a wild, vibrant style using short strokes of vivid color.)
• Surrealism: The Surrealist movement that began in the 1920s and included Marcel Duchamp, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, May Ray and Max Ernst. (In the 1870s and '80s, before he "found color," Redon's work often included haunting images of floating eyes and heads, which may have especially inspired the Surrealists.)
• Art Nouveau: Symbolists like Redon also influenced the Art Nouveau movement, with its far-reaching influences into European and U.S. architecture and jewelry as well as fine art, circa 1890 to 1910. Austrian painter Gustav Klimt of The Kiss fame, often cited as an Art Nouveau standout, clearly seems to have been influenced by Redon and his peers, along with Art Nouveau and Expressionist currents.
• Les Nabis: This influential group of post-Impressionist artists (including another of my favorite painters, Pierre Bonnard; Edouard Vuillard; and Maurice Denis) worked and exhibited together between 1888 and 1900. They boldly named their movement after a Hebrew term rooted in the word for “prophets.” Redon exhibited with Les Nabis at least once, in 1899.

Besides Redon, key Symbolist painters were Gustave Moreau and Pierre Puvis de Chavannes. Some critics and art lovers argue that Paul Gauguin and even Vincent Van Gogh produced Symbolist paintings -- but that's up for debate. (The merging of Post Impressionism and Symbolism in Gauguin's work is concisely, and convincingly, explained here.)

Symbolism for art was an international phenomenon, with painters from Belgium (Fernand Khnopff, Jean Delville) and Britain (Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Aubrey Beardsley) showing influences from the movement.

For a brief discussion of symbolism in painting, with visual examples beyond Redon, check out this Met essay.

With Georges Seurat, Paul Gauguin, Paul Cezanne, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Paul Cignac and Henri-Edmond Cross, Redon exhibited work in an unjuried show in Paris upon founding the Société des Artistes Indépendants. The trendsetting Societe, born in 1884 with the motto "Sans jury ni recompense" (without jury nor reward), was a backlash to the official Salon and highlighted works it refused. And as of 2023 it's still alive and kicking!

Odilon Redon Flowers - Singularly Stunning

Odilon Redon flowers make a great point of entry for anyone interested in exploring this artist's work. The familiarity of a floral still life gives way to Redon's unorthodox, often stunning color combinations. His rich imagination shows in the diverse array of blooms and leaves combined within a painting and the patterns and colors used for vases. The occasional presence of a butterfly hints at the natural, outdoor world that fascinated Redon. Focusing mainly on black and white, often edgy and even surreal works until his 50s, Redon lost no time in becoming an unparalleled colorist. His floral paintings are among the very best examples of that. The stunning Bouquet of Flowers (c 1900-1905), above, features a vase that ceramic artist Marie Botkin -- whose portrait Redon painted in 1900 -- made and gave to Redon that same year and that would go in to appear in several of his flower paintings. Perhaps it was a beautiful barter arrangement with Botkin?

That the newsworthy 2022 Getty collection sale included a Redon floral still life that went for 3.78 million shows the extent to which these paintings are treasured. Scandal-plagued actor Gerard Depardieu benefitted to a more modest degree -- well, relatively speaking -- in 2023, selling a small Redon floral painting for 50,000 Euros, as part of a broader auction of his art collection.

Comparing Beatrice to the Odilon Redon flowers I also adore, I sometimes wonder if my special affinity for Beatrice is because its colors -- while vibrant -- seem more delicate and tentative than the confident, no-holds-barred world of still life works that would emerge in a slightly later period. It's like a gorgeous hint of the (arguably even more gorgeous) imaginary universe the artist would next create in oils and pastel.

I have in my mind’s eye as one of the good things that I have painted, this vase of flowers, which has remained a vision for me... I do not know of anything that has given me more pleasure than such an appreciation of simple flowers in their vase breathing air.

The Odilon Redon Cyclops

The date this was painted is something of a mystery -- it's dated between 1898 and 1914, a rather wide range. It depicts the ill-fated mythical love of Polyphemus for Galatea. Painted with oils on cardboard, then mounted on wood, the Odilon Redon Cyclops painting resides at the Kroller-Muller Museum in the Netherlands. From the Kroller-Muller's description of this painting: "In this painting, the Cyclops Polyphemus spies on the sleeping Nereid Galathea from behind a tall mountain. The one-eyed giant’s love remains unrequited, as Galathea prefers the river god Acis." As disturbing as the one-eyed creature painted here might be, the painting's vibrant color palette and crowded, complex details from the natural world in the foreground -- almost reminiscent of Hieronymus Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights, from four centuries prior -- create a softer, less threatening atmosphere than the many eye-focused works from Redon's earlier noir period, discussed below. In Redon's rendering, unlike in other works representing this epic Greek mythological figure -- giant-sized son of Thoosa and Poseidon -- the cyclops Polythemus is less a violent stalker bent on revenge and destruction, more of a shy and mournful observer of the vulnerable object of his affection.

Odilon Redon - Smiling Spider

While the artist would evolve into a master of color, this rather creepy 1887 lithograph is one of Redon's many works in black: his noirs collection, dating back to the earlier part of his career. Placing the spider in a mundane environment -- a tiled kitchen floor -- but giving it a toothy, almost leering human grin foreshadows the surrealism movement that would begin in earnest in the 1920s.

His botanist friend Clavaud encouraged Redon's keen interest in the natural sciences, and the spider's extra set of arms could have been inspired by the artist's visits to the Museum of Natural History in Paris and its exhibits on biological abnormality.

The stories of Edgar Allen Poe were also an inspiration for this period of Redon's career, wrote Katie Pfohl in 2016 for the New Orleans Museum of Art: "Redon, like many of the other French artists and writers connected with the Symbolist movement, was intrigued and inspired by the macabre imagery in Edgar Allan Poe’s short stories, as well as his connection to 
the American South." The artist dedicated a series of lithographs to Poe in 1882 -- not illustrations, explained Brittanica, but "poems in visual terms, themselves evoking the poet’s world of private torment."

Redon's noirs, wrote Allesandra Nardi in a 2016 "Art Stories" blog post for the Getty Museum -- which featured several Redon drawings in its exhibition "Noir: The Romance of Black in 19th-Century French Drawings and Prints -- often represented "hybrid creatures, oscillating between human beings, animals and plants, with melancholy, grotesque faces." While the creepy mouth is most prominent in the Odilon Redon spider, giant and disembodied eyes were the focal point of drawings like Eye-Balloon (1878); The Cube (1880); The Misshapen Polyp Floated on the Shores, a Sort of Smiling and Hideous Cyclops (1883); and An Eye Floating in the Sky Above a Mountain (1888). The ocular fascination went beyond Redon's noirs, of course: In its description of his colorful Cyclops painting, the museum housing that work points out that "The unnaturally large eye is the most conspicuous part of the painting. In Redon’s work, the eye is often an all controlling, independent creature, a symbol of the human soul and of the mysterious, unknown inner world."

Given how brilliantly and passionately he would come to employ color, it's surprising that much of his work before the 1890s was rendered in his beloved shades of black and white. In an 1894 art magazine article, Redon said "charcoal does not allow kindness; it is sober, and only with real emotion can you draw results from it."

"It is precisely from the regret left by the imperfect work that the next one can be born."

The Life and Art of Odilon Redon -- With Christian Conrad

What do you think of Redon?

Odilon Redon Prints and Books

At Art.com you'll find a vast catalog of Odilon Redon prints to customize by materials, size, shape and budget.

Alas, there aren't as many art-book speciality shops as in the olden days. But Amazon actually has a decent selection, representing works ranging from the creepy, Poe-influenced style of Redon's earlier drawings to his jewel-like floral beauties. To immerse yourself in Redon's stunning symbolism, try to get hold of the Art Institute of Chicago's gorgeous catalog from its 1994 exhibit, Odilon Redon: Prince of Dreams, compiled by Douglas W. Druick -- a book I'm heartbroken to have loaned out and never recovered. (As of early 2023, Abe Books also has a few used copies on offer, in good condition.) Also difficult but by no means impossible to procure is To Myself: Notes on Life, Art and Artists -- a compilation of excerpts from over six decades of Redon's journals and notes.

"While I recognize the necessity for a basis of observed reality...true art lies in a reality that is felt."

Symbolist Art - Examples

Below, Symbolists besides Redon are showcased with exemplary work.

Enjoy this sampling of Symbolists from many nations!

Sources and Deeper Dives

• REDON RECONSIDERED - The Washington Post
  Wahington Post review of the Art Institute of Chicago's 1994 Redon retrospective exhibit, with info on Redon's life and impact on other artists and artistic movements
• What Was Russian Symbolism?
  Russian Symbolists mirrored European counterparts in some ways but had their own spin on the movement and its themes
• Sampling of paintings
  40+ Odilon Redon paintings, nicely presented
• The Symbolist Movement | Sartle - Rogue Art History
  Symbolists, led by Jean Moreas, published this 1886 manifesto as a reaction to the rampant materialism and rationalism that dominated Western culture
• Odilon Redon: How Louisiana ancestry influenced his Symbolist art - New Orleans Museum of Art
  From the New Orleans Museum of Art, a brief discussion of Redon's New Orleans roots and their influence on his work
• MOMA Redon Exhibit
  New York's Museum of Modern Art showcased Redon's work in "Beyond the Visible," October 2005 to November 2006, and created a matching online gallery. It groups works into 3 themes--Monsters, Tales, and Metamorphosis--and presents them beautifully.
• Odilon Redon at The Met | The Met Store Magazine
  This 2021 article honored the artist on what would be his 181st birthday by paying tribute to his flower paintings and pastels that are part of the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection.
• Exhibition Andries Bonger and Odilon Redon - Van Gogh Museum
  The friendship between Odilon Redon and collector Andries Bonger was chronicled here in 2022, with over 30 exquisite works by Redon.
• Odilon Redon's Noir World Of Darkness
  An examination of the artist's "noir" drawings, including the famous Odilon Redon Smiling Spider
• Fontfroide Abbey
  This lucky blogger visited Fontfroide Abbey during an artist's residency and shares, in her writeup, photos of the two large-scale works Redon produced for its library between 1910 and 1912. Stunning!
• Collecting Dreams: Odilon Redon | Cleveland Museum of Art
  Perhaps surprisingly, Cleveland, Ohio, is a fabulous place to see Redon pieces up close!
• Pastel paintings, from Millet to Redon | Apollo Magazine
  The popular 18th-century medium made quite the comeback in the following century
• Technical Investigation of Odilon Redon's Pastels and Noirs
  Detailed investigation into Redon’s media, including how he sometimes layered color onto earlier “noir” paintings and how he, luckily, stabilized his pastel works.
• Pure Colour: Pastels of Odilon Redon – The Eclectic Light Company
  This art lover calls Redon pastels radical & fresh - I couldn’t agree more!
• Face to Face with Christ at the Royal Academy | ICN
  From a Catholic publication, thoughts on Redon's Christ Crowned with Thorns (1895) and the artist's nuanced connections to religious feeling and imagery
• La Maison hantée: Redon’s Identity as an Artist-cum-Spiritist Medium in Occult Circles | SEQUITUR. w
  So apparently Redon got pulled into some occult circles at one point in his career. Who knew? And, well, who knew what "spiritism" was? Enter this article!
• https://www.moma.org/audio/playlist/341/4623
  

Thanks for letting me share one of my most beloved artists with you. Are you a fan as well? Do you connect with the Symbolists, in one or more types of media? And do your favorite Odilon Redon paintings match up with the ones I've included in this article? If not, which are your favorites? Are you just hearing about this genius? Or there other symbolist painters you enjoy? Any thoughts much appreciated, and please don't hesitate to recommend painters you think I would also love!

© 2009 Mary

Comments?

Mary (author) from Chicago area on June 13, 2012:

@MarjorieWard: this comment made me so happy -- thanks!

MarjorieWard on June 13, 2012:

I had never heard of him until a few months ago when I was assigned a paper in Art History... Wow! I can't believe he's not more well-known. I agree his work is literally breathtaking. Will forever be my favorite artist.

Mary (author) from Chicago area on February 13, 2011:

@mariatjader: no, it was much smaller than d'Orsay -- although I agree it is a wonderful place! this was a temporary exhibit somewhere. thank you so so much for the blessing!!

mariatjader on February 13, 2011:

I think you may have been at the Musée d'Orsay, they have a fantastic Redon collection there. Your lens brought back some lovely memories, for me as well the first encounter with these works took place in similar circumstances..

Great lens about a more obscure artist & squid angel blessed*

anonymous on September 07, 2010:

I particularly love Redons black and white drawings

I personally think he was a surrealist whom was way ahead of the curb

hlkljgk from Western Mass on October 28, 2009:

thank you for introducing me to a new artist.

oztoo lm on September 27, 2009:

I also had not heard of this artist but I really like his work. Great Lens

clouda9 lm on September 26, 2009:

I love learning new things - today I accomplished that by visiting your lens. Beautiful art!

myraggededge on September 25, 2009:

Great lens and a nice intro to the artist's work. Thank you!

Leanne Chesser on September 22, 2009:

This is the first time I've heard of this artist . . . but great stuff!

Lynne Schroeder from Blue Mountains Australia on September 22, 2009:

I hadn't heard of this painter before. Beautiful! Thankyou

Cheryl Kohan from England on September 22, 2009:

Chariot of Apollo and Pandora are my faves. I am an art lover, too. But I was unfamiliar with Odilon Redon until now. Thanks for bringing this wonderful artist to my attention!

lakern26 lm on September 22, 2009:

Wonderful lens! I really enjoyed learning about this painter. Thanks so much for the introduction! 5*

kimmanleyort on September 22, 2009:

Really interesting! I had not heard of him but love this work. The still life's especially.

Sandy Mertens from Frozen Tundra on September 21, 2009:

Very nice!

anonymous on September 21, 2009:

Very interesting art!

Treasures By Brenda from Canada on September 21, 2009:

Beautifully done & blessed.

bdkz on September 21, 2009:

Nice!

Barbara Radisavljevic from Paso Robles, CA on September 21, 2009:

Great work. The paintings are lovely. 5 stars.

Heather Burns from Wexford, Ireland on September 21, 2009:

Love your Gibran quote too! lensrolled, faved...

Heather Burns from Wexford, Ireland on September 21, 2009:

Wonderful and beautiful! 5*****

Paula Atwell from Cleveland, OH on September 21, 2009:

Gorgeous lens. Blessed by an angel. : )

Cynthia Sylvestermouse from United States on September 21, 2009:

Excellent Lens! Thanks for introducing me to Odilon Redon.

anonymous on September 21, 2009:

Great lens! I have never heard of Redon before, his art is gorgeous! I love his use of color :)