Artwork

Et celui qui était monté dessus se nommait la Mort (And his name that sat on him was Death)

Et celui qui était monté dessus se nommait la Mort (And his name that sat on him was Death) 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

Created in 1899, this black-and-white lithograph on chine collé bears the title Et celui qui était monté dessus se nommait la Mort, translated as ‘And his name that sat on him was Death.’ The print presents a stark, monochrome scene that centers on a skeletal rider astride a horse, both rendered with pronounced line work and chiaroscuro shading.

Subject & Meaning

The composition features a fully exposed skeleton clad in a hooded cloak, gripping a sword in its right hand while mounted on a horse that moves toward the right. The skeletal figure, identified as Death, dominates the foreground against a dimly lit backdrop, suggesting a dramatic encounter with mortality.

Technique & Style

Executed as a lithograph, the work exploits the medium’s capacity for fine detail, allowing the artist to delineate the intricate textures of bone, fabric, and animal flesh. The use of bold outlines and varied tonal shading creates a sense of depth and motion within the limited black‑on‑white palette.

History & Provenance

The print was produced at the close of the 19th century, a period when the artist explored symbolic and fantastical subjects through printmaking. It remains part of the artist’s oeuvre of lithographic works, though specific ownership records beyond its creation are not documented in the available sources.