Odilon Redon

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• What is Odilon Redon's most famous work?+

  It is difficult to name one single work as Odilon Redon's most famous, as his notability rests on his wider output, particularly his dreamlike Symbolist works. However, several pieces are well known and representative of his distinctive style. 'Ophelia' (1900^[3]-1905^[3]) is a frequently cited example, typifying his interest in literary and mythological themes. Other notable works include 'The Cyclops' (1914), demonstrating his later, more colourful style, and 'The Buddha' (circa 1906), reflecting his engagement with Eastern philosophy. Redon's series of 'Noir' works, created primarily in charcoal during the earlier part of his career, also established his reputation for exploring darker, more introspective subjects. Ultimately, Redon's fame derives from the distinctive character of his oeuvre, rather than any single piece.
• What should I know about Odilon Redon's prints?+

  Odilon Redon (1840^[3]-1916^[3]) trained as an architect and painter before turning to black-and-white techniques. He learnt etching and engraving from Bresdin in Bordeaux around 1864^[3]. Redon devoted himself to charcoal drawing after 1879. Between 1879 and 1899, Redon created 166 lithographs, which gained considerable recognition. His charcoal drawings provided a basis for these prints. Redon also produced illustrations, mainly of Symbolist texts, such as Baudelaire’s *Fleurs du Mal*. Redon's prints often feature dreamlike, visionary images. He drew inspiration from artists such as Goya. An 1878 lithograph series was dedicated to Edgar Allan Poe, whose works were translated into French^[3] by Baudelaire and Mallarmé. Gauguin admired Redon's work, and Redon attended Gauguin's farewell banquet before his departure for Tahiti in 1891. Gauguin even took a copy of Redon’s lithograph *Death* with him. Redon's prints were popular in the Low Countries. His imagery moved away from conventional symbolic systems, instead favouring imagery from the subconscious. His work looked forward to Surrealism and back to artists like Bosch and Bruegel.
• What style or movement did Odilon Redon belong to?+

  Odilon Redon (1840^[3]-1916^[3]) is associated with Symbolism^[3]. He explored the inner psyche, rather than depicting reality directly. His art aimed to inspire introspection through imaginative paintings and lithographs that represented dream fragments. Younger Symbolists, called the Nabis, were greatly influenced by his work. Although untouched by earlier movements, Redon participated in the 1886^[3] Impressionist exhibition and helped found the Independants. When he began using colour, his reputation grew among younger artists. Gauguin admired Redon and adopted the 'eye within a flower' symbol, inspired by Redon's 1883 album, Origines. Redon's imagery, dispensing with conventional symbolism, anticipated Surrealism and echoed the irrational tradition of artists like Bosch and Bruegel. His work gained popularity in the Low Countries and he illustrated poems by the Belgian Symbolist poet Emile Verhaeren.
• What techniques or materials did Odilon Redon use?+

  Odilon Redon is known for his innovative use of various media, particularly charcoal and pastel. He worked in both black and white and in colour, although his colour work is more closely associated with the later part of his career. Initially, Redon worked almost exclusively in charcoal, creating a series of lithographs and drawings that he called his "noirs". These works explored themes of darkness, the subconscious, and the fantastical. His charcoal drawings often feature soft, velvety textures achieved through careful application and blending of the medium. Later in his career, Redon turned to colour, embracing pastel and oil paint. His pastels are notable for their luminosity and delicate hues. He built up layers of pigment to create a sense of depth and atmosphere. Redon's use of colour allowed him to explore new subjects, such as flowers, portraits, and mythological scenes, with a heightened sense of expressiveness. He also produced a number of important decorative screens and wall panels in tempera and oil.
• What was Odilon Redon known for?+

  Odilon Redon (1840^[3]-1916^[3]) was a French^[3] Symbolist artist. He is known for imaginative paintings and lithographs that explore inner psychological states and fragments of dreams. Redon's artistic journey began in Bordeaux, where he developed an appreciation for art. Early influences included the architecture of churches and the subtleties of nature. He studied drawing under Stanislas Gorin, who encouraged him to copy Delacroix and introduced him to Millet, Corot, and Gustave Moreau. Rodolphe Bresdin taught him printmaking techniques, especially etching. Redon created albums and illustrations, often based on Symbolist texts such as Baudelaire's *Fleurs du Mal*. Initially, Redon worked primarily in black chalk. Later in his career, he expanded his palette, using clear and bright colours. His subject matter evolved from sombre themes, such as prisoners and odd creatures, to more personal ideas and emotions. Mythology and dreamscapes became prominent in his work. Younger Symbolists, including the Nabis, were influenced by him.
• When did odilon redon die?+

  Odilon Redon died in 1916^[3] at the age of 76.
• When did Odilon Redon live and work?+

  Odilon Redon was born in Bordeaux on 20 April 1840^[3]. His father was French^[3], and his mother was Creole. He died in Paris in 1916^[3], at the age of seventy-six. In 1859^[3], Redon went to Paris to train as an architect, then as a painter under Gerome. Around 1864, after a mental breakdown, he went back to Bordeaux, his home town. There, he met Rodolphe Bresdin, who taught him etching and engraving techniques. After 1870, Redon lived in Paris, but he also visited Brittany and the family estate. From 1879, he devoted himself almost exclusively to charcoal drawing. Between 1879 and 1899, he produced 166 lithographs. Around 1880, Redon married Camille Falte, a young Creole woman, and started making pastels. From about 1895, his oil paintings became highly coloured. By about 1900, all his work, mainly watercolours, pastels, and oils, became a celebration of colour.
• Where can i see odilon redon paintings?+

  Odilon Redon's works can be seen at National Gallery of Art, Musée d'Orsay, Prints in the National Gallery of Art, and 2 other museums worldwide.
• Where can I see Odilon Redon's work?+

  Odilon Redon's work can be found in museums around the world. The Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo, Netherlands, holds his painting *The Cyclops* (circa 1898^[3]-1900^[3]). Redon was born in Bordeaux in 1840^[3] and died in Paris in 1916^[3]. He trained as an architect and later as a painter in Paris, before studying black-and-white techniques with etcher Rodolphe Bresdin in Bordeaux. He produced 166 lithographs between 1879 and 1899, in addition to charcoal drawings, pastels, watercolours and oils. Redon's initial work was mostly in black chalk, but he began using colour later in his career. He exhibited at Les XX in 1886, 1887 and 1890; at the Kunstkring in The Hague in 1894; and at the Vienna Secession in 1903. His art explored inner psychological states and dreamlike imagery, and he is associated with Symbolist theories. His work influenced younger Symbolist artists, including the Nabis.
• Where did odilon redon live?+

  Odilon Redon was born in Bordeaux, where he grew up and began to develop his feeling for art. He went to Paris in 1859^[3] to train as an architect and then as a painter, but after a mental breakdown, he returned to Bordeaux around 1864.
• Where was Odilon Redon from?+

  Odilon Redon was born in Bordeaux, France, on 20 April 1840^[3]. His given name was Bertrand-Jean Redon; Odilon was a childhood nickname taken from his mother's first name, Odile. Redon spent much of his childhood in the Médoc region, on his family's estate. At the age of fifteen, he began studying drawing, although his father wanted him to become an architect. He failed the entrance exams to the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. However, he studied painting with Jean-Léon Gérôme. In 1864^[3], he began etching with Rodolphe Bresdin in Paris. He returned to Bordeaux during the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871^[3]). After the war, he moved to Paris and continued to work, largely in charcoal and lithography. He did not achieve wider recognition until the 1880s.
• Who did Odilon Redon influence?+

  Odilon Redon's art affected several artists and movements. After working primarily in black chalk, Redon started using colour, which increased his appeal to younger artists. Paul Gauguin became a fervent admirer. He derived the notion of the eye within a flower, a symbol he used on several occasions, from Redon's 1883^[3] album, Origines. Gauguin also owned a copy of Redon's lithograph Death, from which he derived the hooded head that appears in the 1897 woodcut Be in love, you will be happy. Redon's imagery, with its convincing unreality and elusiveness, looked forward to Surrealism. His art also looked backward to the tradition of the irrational, typified by artists such as Bosch and Bruegel. The Nabis claimed ownership of Redon's artistic legacy, and the Symbolists also drew on it as a source. Redon's popularity in the Low Countries is significant, and he illustrated poems by the Belgian Symbolist poet and critic Emile Verhaeren.