In the Dream (The Graphic Art of Odilon Redon)
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Odilon Redon (1840-1916) was born in Bordeaux, Aquitaine to a prosperous family. The young Bertrand-Jean Redon acquired the nickname “Odilon” from his mother, Odile. Redon started drawing as a child, and at the age of ten he was awarded a drawing prize at school. Aged fifteen, he began the formal study of drawing, but on the insistence of his father he changed to architecture. His failure to pass the entrance exams at Paris École des Beaux-Arts ended any plans for a career as an architect, although he would later study there under Jean-Léon Gérôme. Back home in his native Bordeaux, he took up sculpture, and Rodolphe Bresdin instructed him in etching and lithography. However, his artistic career was interrupted in 1870 when he joined the army to serve in the Franco-Prussian War. At the end of the war, he moved to Paris, working almost exclusively in charcoal and lithography. It would not be until 1878 that his work gained any recognition with Guardian Spirit of the Waters, and he published his first album of lithographs, titled Dans le Rêve, in 1879. Still, Redon remained relatively unknown until the appearance in 1884 of a cult novel by Joris-Karl Huysmans titled, À rebours (Against Nature). The story featured a decadent aristocrat who collected Redon’s drawings. In the 1890s, he began to use pastel and oils, which dominated his works for the rest of his life. In 1899, he exhibited with the Nabis at Durand-Ruel’s. In 1903 he was awarded the Legion of Honor. His popularity …
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14 Comments
December 25th, 2010 at 12:25 pm
C´est vraiment superbe !
De bien belles images qui nous fait réver…
merci infiniment !
December 25th, 2010 at 12:41 pm
I just bought a book of Odilon Redon’s graphic works for a discount at Borders! It only has the pics shown here, not the color paintings. But that’s fine. He really does capture a very somber mood with his work. Even his most colorful pieces are beautiful, yet depressing.
December 25th, 2010 at 12:56 pm
Great work
December 25th, 2010 at 1:47 pm
Ho abitato un poco fra queste immagini stanotte. I fiori, i ragni si assomigliano, si confondono…
Grazie ********
December 25th, 2010 at 2:35 pm
Great job !.. I love Redon !
December 25th, 2010 at 3:22 pm
5* and placed into my playlist of Odilon Redon, thanks
December 25th, 2010 at 3:30 pm
Thanks for this dance of shades, I adore the Victorian sinister illustrations, is hypnotic your video.
Beautiful.
December 25th, 2010 at 3:32 pm
Scusa del ritardo. Trovo queste immagini davvero fantastiche, inquietanti però allo stesso tempo incantevoli.
December 25th, 2010 at 4:02 pm
C’est très bien dans sa narration descriptive. la musique : formidable ! Merci; teocalli
December 25th, 2010 at 4:46 pm
Merci, très chère amie, pour cet Hommage au grand Odilon Redon!
December 25th, 2010 at 5:31 pm
Very thanks for your kind comment, Captain, My Captain!..
December 25th, 2010 at 6:04 pm
Fine as always, shiva. Interesting choices, and mostly fascinating musical accompaniment. Grazie.
December 25th, 2010 at 7:04 pm
Very nice job..Redon had a very strong sense of the macabre art,like many other Symbolist artists. Cheers.
December 25th, 2010 at 7:50 pm
I like the drawings that a filled with shadows. The image is barely visible, not fully realized that is a more accurate dream depiction, i think. The info in the description is fascinating.