R is for Redon
Bertrand-Jean Redon, better known as Odilon Redon (April 20, 1840 – July 6, 1916) was a French Symbolist painter, printmaker, draughtsman and pastellist.
"A title is justified only when it is vague and even aims confusedly at the elliptical. My drawings inspire, and are not to be defined. They determine nothing. They place us, as does music, in the ambiguous realm of the undetermined. They are a kind of metaphor..."
Beatrice
1885
pastel over charcoal; private collection
The Golden Cell
1892 Oil and gold metallic paint on paper prepared with white ground;The British Museum
"The value of art lies in its power to increase our moral force or establish its heightening influence."
"While I recognize the necessity for a basis of observed reality... true art lies in a reality that is felt."
The Boat, aka with Carona
1898
Ophelia
c. 1900-05
Pastel on paper mounted on board, The Woodner Collection
Flower Clouds
1903
Pastel; The Art Institute of Chicago
"What distinguishes the artist from the dilettante? Only the pain the artist feels. The dilettante looks only for pleasure in art."
Le Bouddha (The Buddha)
c. 1905
Pastel on paper; Musee d'Orsay, Paris
"I await joyous surprises while working, an awakening of the materials that I work with and that my spirit develops."
Red Boat with Blue Sail
1906-07
1906-07
Oil on canvas, Private collection
Silence (Le silence)
1911
Profile and Flowers
1912
Pastel on paper, McNay Art Institute, San Antonio, TX
"I have a feeling only for shadows."
The Red Sphinx
c. 1912
c. 1912
Oil on canvas,Private collection
Anemonies In A Blue Vase
If you'd like you can also check out The Pagan's Eye, my blog of original photos. This week, there are several photos shot in rural Southern Vermont. I snapped a moment of Austrian old world charm we came upon while taking a Sunday drive and explored the history of the Green River Bridge and Timber Crib Dam, which was our destination.
Peace to everyone out there in the world!
ABC Wednesday is a fun project, now in its fourth year! If you have something to share, be it a photograph, piece of art or poetry please post in on your blog and sign up here with Linky tools. Due to time differences just post when it is convenient on Tuesday onwards.ABC Wednesday
Thanks to the great folks who make this sharing game possible!
Thanks to the great folks who make this sharing game possible!
Great post for the R Day, Gina! Enjoyed reading about Redon and I do love his watercolors! Always learn something, discover something when I visit your site and that's always the best! Hope your week is going well!
ReplyDeleteSylvia
Thanks for the tour.. Enjoyed Cat Stevens also
ReplyDeleteI like the later stuff better, esp the turn of the century material.
ReplyDeleteROG, ABC Wednesday team
those art are great...i for once dream to learn how to paint...i love to learn new things but as time goes by and living becomes more priority for everyone i set aside those dreams to fulfill the other things first.bytheway,thank you for your vote at my photo entry....that really counts...GODBLESS YOU!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting! I had never seen any paintings of Redon. He is so different from his contemporaries. He is also an impressionist, isn't he?
ReplyDeleteThe paintings are exquisite and beautiful. Thank you for sharing and giving us a glimpse of his life.
Marvellous!
ReplyDeleteI'm ignorant about Redon and now realise that I shouldn't be! Where have I been? These are brilliant. I particularly like The Buddha.
ReplyDeleteHe is not one of my favourites.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sylvia! I appreciate your enthusiasm and open mind!
ReplyDeleteGattina: with all due respect, I must say that I almost didn't publish your comment, as it sounds very unfriendly, perhaps? If you don't Redon, who happens to be one of my all-time favorite artists, then perhaps you could just skip the comment. Unless, of course, you have something significant to add to the discussion. Thank you.
Redon definitely has a unique style. He himself describes it well: the ambiguous realm of the undetermined. I have a print of the buddha. A good R post.
ReplyDeleteThank you Roger, Singing Bear, Francisca, Jams, Reader Wil, Coffeeveggie and Joe Todd for taking the time to comment.
ReplyDeleteSometimes, for me, art is better if I try to feel it, rather than to over-think it. Does that make sense?
Peace and love,
Gina
These are so beautiful and so new to me they've taken my breath away. For the first time ever, I've taken a copy of one of the images you've collected so I can gaze at it again at leisure - the Buddha.
ReplyDeleteYou wouldn't believe ignorant I am about art history :-)
These are gorgeous. I love this painter's work, and approach to work. He's influenced my work a little over the years. I particularly like the two with boats in them - and the Buddha. This man understood orange and blue better than almost anyone else.
ReplyDeleteHis paintings always remind me of pastel drawings. I saw several in Chicago and wanted to touch them more than I do almost anyone else's pieces.