Odilon Redon

Bernheim-Jeune, Paris (acquired in Lausanne in 1922)

C. Van Pampus, Amsterdam

E.J. Van Wisselingh, Amsterdam (acquired from the above in 1946)

J. Streep, New York (acquired from the above in 1947)

Amsterdam, N. Eisenloeffel, Tentoonstelling van Schilderijen, Aquarellen, Teekeningen en Lithographieen door Odilon Redon, 1930, no. 19

Amsterdam, E.J. Van Wisselingh, Schilderkunst der 19. Eeuw, 1942, no. 36

 

Alec Wildenstein, Odilon Redon, vol. III, Paris, 1996, no. 1557, illustrated p. 35

Redon's exquisite floral still-lifes are the hallmark of the artist's production.  The most successful and appealing of these compositions were those that he executed in pastel.  The velvety texture of this medium added a sensual dimension to the subject, evoking the feel and the even fragrance of each petal and leaf.   Redon's skill for eliciting sensations that could not otherwise be captured in a picture set him apart from his colleagues, and his floral pastels ultimately came to define his artistic identity.  This picture, painted around 1905, is one of the best examples of the defining motif of his career.

Redon's first still-lifes date from the 1860s, but he did not focus on the theme in earnest until around 1900.   In the years that preceded his production of colorful floral pastels Redon devoted his production to the Symbolist movement and the depiction of obscure or supernatural themes .  It was during this period in the 1880s and 1890s that he became well known for his "noir" series-drawings.  These drawings were rendered with charcoal or dark crayon, and their ethereal, atmospheric quality directly influenced Redon's 20th century still-lifes.  

Redon's floral still-lifes were received with great enthusiasm when they were first exhibited at Galerie Durand-Ruel at the turn of the century.   These pictures attracted a wider audience than his earlier, more obscure Symbolist compositions, and the pastels in particular were more appealing to the tastes of the bourgeoisie.  Since then, Redon's floral pastels have become a favorite among collectors of 20th century art.