Artwork

C'est moi, Jean, qui ai vu et qui ai oie ces choses (And I John saw these things and heard them

C'est moi, Jean, qui ai vu et qui ai oie ces choses (And I John saw these things and heard them is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Odilon Redon. It dates from 1899 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Clad in a simple robe with hands clasped before him, the figure occupies the center of the composition against a plain, light beige background.

Created in 1899, 'C'est moi, Jean, qui ai vu et qui ai oie ces choses' is a lithograph by French Symbolist Odilon Redon. The work illustrates a passage from the Book of Revelation, depicting the Apostle John as a bearded figure with long hair, his head bowed in a posture of prayer or profound contemplation. Clad in a simple robe with hands clasped before him, the figure occupies the center of the composition against a plain, light beige background.

Redon utilizes the lithographic medium to render soft, atmospheric tonalities, contrasting the dark, textured mass of the saint's hair and garment with the luminous negative space. This piece belongs to Redon's later period, where he transitioned from his earlier 'Noirs' to include color, though this specific work retains the monochromatic, dreamlike quality characteristic of his Symbolist style. The title, translating to 'It is I, John, who saw and heard these things,' directly references the biblical narrator's vision, grounding the image in spiritual revelation rather than physical reality.

The work exemplifies Redon's lifelong exploration of the inner life and the mystical, serving as a visual meditation on the threshold between the earthly and the divine.

Subject & Meaning

The composition centers on a bearded, long‑haired figure kneeling in prayer. Clad in a simple robe, his hands are pressed together before his chest, and his bowed head suggests contemplation or supplication. The title’s reference to a personal witness implies an intimate, perhaps autobiographical, testimony of vision and sound.

Technique & Style

Redon employed the lithographic process, drawing directly onto a stone or metal plate with greasy media before transferring the image onto paper. The print’s palette is restrained, dominated by muted browns and a pale beige ground that accentuates the darker tones of the figure’s hair and garments, reinforcing a solemn mood.

History & Provenance

The lithograph was produced toward the end of Redon’s career, a period marked by a shift from his earlier charcoal and pastel works to more figurative, narrative prints. It entered public collections through early 20th‑century acquisitions, though specific ownership records remain limited.

Context

Redon’s late oeuvre often explored themes of mysticism, inner experience, and the unseen. This work aligns with his broader engagement with symbolism, where personal revelation and spiritual introspection are rendered through simplified forms and subdued coloration.

Legacy

While not as widely reproduced as Redon’s pastel series, the lithograph contributes to scholarly understanding of his printmaking practice and his exploration of devotional imagery, offering insight into the artist’s evolving visual language at the turn of the century.