Cover
1885
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
About the artist
Artist
Odilon Redon
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 page1885
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Dominant colour
Cover is a 1885 by Odilon Redon, a Impressionism work, depicting Sheet Music, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
You see a dark, cloudy sky pressing down on a single, pale eye that floats in the center of the page. Redon made this as the cover for a set of prints honoring Goya. He used soft, smoky shading—no hard lines—to make the eye feel like it’s dreaming or watching from somewhere quiet. The whole image is small, meant to be held in your hands. If you like this dreamy mood, look up the technique called *sfumato*.
This series is one of many that Odilon Redon created throughout his career. Nearly two-thirds of his lithographs took the form of portfolios—prints connected conceptually by a theme or narrative and physically by a folder or binding. Such works were often dispersed over time, but Cleveland was fortunate to acquire several complete sets with their original covers during the 1920s. Dating from Redon’s early experimentation with lithography, Homage to Goya was intended as a tribute to 18th-century Spanish master Francisco de Goya, whose interest in dreams and the subconscious influenced Redon.…
This portfolio was published in an edition of 50, one of which Redon sent to poet Stéphane Mallarmé soon after Redon became a frequent participant in a literary salon held regularly at Mallarmé's home.
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.
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