1883
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Il y eut des luttes et des vaines victoires (There were struggles and vain victories) is a 1883 ink by Odilon Redon, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a woman with wild hair and bare shoulders, fighting a giant sea creature. She’s kneeling on its back, gripping a spear high above her head. The monster’s tentacles coil around her legs, and the waves below churn around them. The artist used quick, dark lines to show movement and tension. This print is from 1883, and it’s not a painting but a lithograph—meaning it was drawn on stone and printed. Next, check out lithography to see how artists like Redon made prints this way.
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 →
