Orpheus
1906
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 page1906
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Orpheus is a 1906 by Odilon Redon, a Impressionism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This pastel drawing shows Orpheus’s head floating in soft purple light. His lyre rests beside him. The colors feel dreamy, like a half-remembered vision. Redon loved Orpheus. He drew him over and over, linking music, death, and art. This one feels quiet, almost still. If you like this, see how Redon’s colors shift in *Caliban* at The Cleveland Museum of Art.
Drawn in vivid layers of pastel crayon, this work depicts the head of the poet and musician Orpheus. The story of the god of music, whose music carried on after his death through his lyre and head, fascinated Redon, who related to Orpheus's dedication to his art. The subject also aligned with Redon's broader interest in dreams and spirituality around this time and he represented Orpheus several times throughout his career, in various media. Here, the god's head floats as if in stasis while Mount Parnassus—the home of Apollo and the Muses—soars from behind.
Another version of this pastel (now in the collection of the Musée Fabre de Montpellier) was part of a group of later works by Redon shown at the 1913 International Exhibition of Modern Art—better known as the Armory Show—which introduced the artist to American audiences.
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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