And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand - Odilon Redon

A striking lithograph from Odilon Redon's 1899 Apocalypse series, featuring an ethereal angel emerging from deep shadow.

This lithograph is part of the Apocalypse de Saint-Jean series, a collection of twelve prints produced by Odilon Redon in 1899. The work depicts a scene from the Book of Revelation, where an angel descends to bind the dragon. Redon, a central figure in the Symbolist movement, moved away from the objective observation of the natural world to explore the internal realms of dreams, memory, and the subconscious. The composition is defined by a stark contrast between light and shadow. The angel emerges from a deep, velvety black void, a technique Redon mastered through his extensive work with lithographic ink. The figure is rendered with soft, ethereal textures, suggesting a spectral presence rather than a physical one. The light source appears to emanate from the angel itself, illuminating the wings and the chain held in its hand, while the surrounding darkness remains impenetrable. This use of chiaroscuro creates a sense of weightlessness and mystery. Redon often referred to his black-and-white works as his 'noirs'. These prints allowed him to manipulate tone and texture to evoke emotional responses rather than literal interpretations. The figure of the angel is stylised, with elongated forms and a solemn expression that aligns with the apocalyptic subject matter. By focusing on the psychological impact of the biblical narrative, Redon creates an image that feels both ancient and otherworldly. The print captures the tension of the moment, as the angel prepares to secure the abyss. This piece demonstrates the artist's ability to transform traditional religious iconography into a personal, dreamlike vision, characteristic of his late nineteenth-century output.