And His Name That Sat on Him Was Death - Odilon Redon

A haunting lithograph by Odilon Redon, depicting the fourth horseman of the Apocalypse through masterful use of light and shadow.

This lithograph by Odilon Redon is a plate from his 1899 portfolio, L'Apocalypse de Saint-Jean. The work depicts the fourth horseman of the Apocalypse, a skeletal figure mounted upon a horse, wielding a long, diagonal staff. Redon, a master of the 'noirs' (his charcoal drawings and lithographs), utilises a wide spectrum of blacks and greys to create an atmosphere of existential dread. The figure emerges from a dense, atmospheric darkness, with the horse's form partially obscured by shadow, suggesting a spectral presence rather than a physical one. Redon's approach to the subject matter moves away from traditional religious iconography. Instead, he focuses on the psychological impact of the vision. The stark contrast between the pale, bony structure of the rider and the surrounding void creates a sense of unease. The diagonal composition, dominated by the long staff, draws the eye across the frame, creating a dynamic tension that feels both immediate and otherworldly. The artist's technique involves subtle gradations of tone, achieved through careful application of the lithographic crayon, which allows for soft, blurred edges that contrast with the sharp, defined lines of the skeleton's skull. This print demonstrates Redon's ability to translate literary and biblical themes into visual experiences that rely on suggestion rather than explicit narrative. By stripping away extraneous detail, he forces the viewer to confront the stark reality of the figure. The work is a prime example of the Symbolist interest in the subconscious and the dreamlike, where the boundaries between reality and imagination are blurred. It remains a powerful study in light and shadow, capturing the grim nature of the subject through a refined, monochromatic palette.