1888
ink
From the collection of Museum of Modern Art
Dominant colour
Untitled is a 1888 ink by Odilon Redon, a Impressionism work, depicting Monkey, held at Museum of Modern Art.
A small, shadowy figure in a robe kneels on a dark ground, hands folded in prayer. The face is blurred, almost like a smudge of charcoal. Redon made this print in the same year he wrote, “My drawings inspire, and are not to be defined.” He wanted them to feel like dreams—clear enough to see, but too strange to explain. The drypoint needle scratches the metal plate like a whisper, leaving soft edges that fade into nothing. If you like how this feels, look up the technique called *sfumato*.
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 pageYour cart is empty
Explore artworks →
