Who painted He Raises the Bronze Urn?

He Raises the Bronze Urn was painted by Odilon Redon in 1888.

Where can I see He Raises the Bronze Urn?

He Raises the Bronze Urn is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is He Raises the Bronze Urn?

He Raises the Bronze Urn is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

He Raises the Bronze Urn

Odilon Redon , 1888

He Raises the Bronze Urn is a print by the Impressionist artist Odilon Redon. It dates from 1888 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Accession no.: 1927.477.5
Credit line: Gift of The Print Club of Cleveland

About this work

Overview

He Raises the Bronze Urn is a print from a portfolio inspired by Gustave Flaubert’s novel The Temptation of Saint Anthony. It is one of three such portfolios created by Odilon Redon, capturing the novel’s dark, imaginative essence.

Subject & Meaning

The print depicts a ghostly figure lifting a bronze urn amidst a swirling, dark background. Rather than illustrating the novel’s content, it embodies the eerie, surreal mood evoked by Flaubert’s text, featuring invented, dream-like elements.

Technique & Style

Redon employed thick, blurry black lines to achieve a heavy, suffocating atmosphere, reminiscent of chiaroscuro’s interplay of deep shadows. The style aims to translate the density of charcoal drawings into lithography.

History & Provenance

Created after Redon read Flaubert’s 1874 novel, the print was part of a series that, despite the artist’s belief in its success, was largely misunderstood during his lifetime.

Context

Part of a broader artistic response to literary works, Redon’s portfolio reflects the late 19th-century intersection of avant-garde literature and visual arts, exploring the subconscious and the surreal.