Odilon Redon
French·1840–1916
Symbolist painter Odilon Redon (1840-1916) explored the world of dreams, fantasy, and imagination with works that foreshadowed Surrealism. Born in Bordeaux to a prosperous family, he studied architecture before turning to art. His master Rodolphe Bresdin exerted an important early influence. For the first half of his career, Redon worked almost exclusively in black and white, creating haunting charcoal drawings and lithographs he called "noirs." These featured floating eyeballs, spiders, and fantastic creatures drawn from his subconscious.
During the 1890s, Redon transitioned dramatically to color, working in pastel and oil with luminous intensity. Flowers became a recurring subject, particularly after 1900. His eye balloon floating above the world became a personal metaphor for the questing soul. Redon's visionary work influenced both Symbolist writers like Huysmans and later Surrealists including Marcel Duchamp. He was associated with the Nabis and exhibited with the Impressionists. His works are at the Musée d'Orsay, Museum of Modern Art, and Art Institute of Chicago, which holds the largest collection of his pastels outside France.
Notable Works by Odilon Redon
11 paintings catalogued with museum locations
Museums with Odilon Redon's Work
6 museums display Redon's works. Click any museum to see visiting info and the specific works they hold.
About Odilon Redon
Redon was a leading figure in Symbolism, creating dreamlike imagery that influenced the Surrealists decades later. André Breton championed his work. His art divided into two phases: dark charcoal "noirs" exploring nightmares and macabre themes, followed by radiant pastels of flowers and mythological subjects.
The Musée d'Orsay holds major works from both periods. The Museum of Modern Art in New York owns significant pieces. The Kröller-Müller Museum in the Netherlands and the Art Institute of Chicago display important examples.
His "noirs" (blacks) were charcoal drawings and lithographs created from the 1870s to 1890s, depicting floating eyeballs, strange hybrids, and macabre visions. Titles like The Eye, Like a Strange Balloon, Mounts Toward Infinity suggest their hallucinatory character. After 1890, he abandoned black for explosive color.
After 1900, he focused on vibrant flower bouquets, mythological figures like Ophelia and Orpheus, and butterflies. His pastels achieve jewel-like intensity. The shift coincided with personal happiness: his son's birth after years of childlessness and increasing recognition of his work.
The Nabis (Bonnard, Vuillard) acknowledged his impact on their development. Matisse credited Redon's pastels with influencing his Fauvist palette. The Surrealists later embraced his dream imagery. His path from dark psychological depths to radiant color anticipated artistic directions he never lived to see fully realized.
Love Odilon Redon's Style?
Explore art inspired by their style.
Browse Collection
