1899
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
A Woman Clothed with the Sun is a 1899 by Odilon Redon, a Impressionism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
You see a woman floating in a golden sky, her body wrapped in light, a crescent moon under her feet. Redon made this as part of a series illustrating the Book of Revelation. It’s rare for him—he usually kept his pictures vague, but here he matched each print to a specific Bible verse. The woman is from Revelation 12, where she’s described as “clothed with the sun.” If you like this dreamy style, look up the technique called *sfumato*—soft, smoky edges that make things feel like they’re glowing.
The last of Odilon Redon’s 11 lithographic portfolios, this series relates to the Book of Revelation from the Christian Bible. The subject had been explored throughout art history, allowing the artist to align himself with past masters, such as Albrecht Dürer. Although Redon often vaguely referenced texts, these prints directly illustrate 12 individual passages, including one about a woman clothed with the sun and another focused on a great star falling from heaven. By the time he created this portfolio, Redon’s reputation was well established. The project was published by art dealer Ambroise…
This is one of the last works where Redon experimented with lithograph and all-black medium. In contrast, bright, dazzling colors characterize his late works.
Read the full account in the museum source.
Born Bertrand-Jean Redon on 20 April 1840 in Bordeaux, the artist adopted the name Odilon from his mother, Marie-Odile.
See the richer artist page
