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

A haunting lithograph from Odilon Redon's 1899 Apocalypse series, featuring a skeletal rider emerging from deep, atmospheric shadows.

This lithograph by Odilon Redon belongs to his 1899 series titled Apocalypse de Saint-Jean. The work depicts a skeletal figure mounted upon a horse, emerging from a dense, atmospheric darkness. Redon, a central figure in the Symbolist movement, frequently explored themes of the subconscious, dreams, and the macabre. His mastery of the lithographic medium allowed him to manipulate light and shadow with exceptional precision, creating a sense of ethereal gloom that defines his black-and-white works, which he referred to as his noirs. The composition is dominated by the stark contrast between the illuminated skeletal rider and the surrounding void. The horse and rider appear to materialise from the paper, with the skeletal figure holding a long, diagonal staff that cuts across the frame. This visual tension draws the eye towards the figure, while the surrounding textures suggest a turbulent, otherworldly environment. Redon avoids clear outlines, preferring instead to build form through layered charcoal-like marks and soft, smudged tones. This technique grants the image a spectral quality, consistent with his interest in the unseen and the psychological weight of biblical imagery. Redon produced this series during a period when he had largely moved away from his earlier, more grotesque subjects towards a softer, more atmospheric style. The print captures the transition between his earlier dark, phantasmagoric visions and his later, more luminous explorations of colour. By focusing on the figure of Death, Redon engages with a long tradition of apocalyptic iconography, yet he reinterprets it through a distinctly modern, subjective lens. The work remains a primary example of his technical skill in printmaking and his ability to evoke a sense of mystery through minimal means.