.... and his name that sat on him was Death. - Odilon Redon

A haunting lithograph by Odilon Redon from his 1899 Apocalypse series, depicting the skeletal figure of Death emerging from a dark, atmospheric void.

This lithograph by Odilon Redon belongs to his series titled L'Apocalypse de Saint-Jean, published in 1899. The work depicts the fourth horseman of the Apocalypse, a skeletal figure mounted upon a horse, emerging from a dense, atmospheric void. Redon, a master of the lithographic medium, utilises the texture of the stone to create a sense of shadow and mystery. The figure of Death is rendered with stark, skeletal precision, contrasting against the murky, indistinct background that suggests a realm beyond the physical world. Redon moved away from the objective representation of nature, preferring to explore the internal world of dreams, visions, and the subconscious. In this print, the subject matter is drawn from the Book of Revelation, yet the interpretation is distinctly personal. The horse and rider appear to materialise from darkness, their forms partially obscured by the heavy, granular blacks that define Redon's technical approach. The composition is diagonal, creating a sense of movement as the figure advances across the frame. The skeletal rider holds a scythe, a traditional attribute of Death, which cuts through the composition with a sharp, linear clarity. This piece demonstrates the artist's ability to evoke psychological tension through monochromatic tones. By focusing on the interplay between light and shadow, Redon creates an image that feels both ethereal and unsettling. The work reflects the Symbolist interest in themes of mortality, the supernatural, and the limits of human perception. It remains a compelling example of late nineteenth-century printmaking, where the technical limitations of the lithographic process were pushed to achieve atmospheric depth and emotional weight. The print invites the viewer to contemplate the darker aspects of the human experience through a lens of quiet, haunting imagery.