La Sulamite (The Shulamite)

Odilon Redon

1897

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century

About this work

This drawing shows a woman’s face in profile, her hair swirling around her head. The background is mostly empty, with a few bold yellow lines and shapes—like a sun or flower—below her. The lines are loose and sketchy, almost like a quick sketch. The artist used a thin, delicate paper that lets light show through. This style makes the image feel dreamy and unfinished. Next, check out lithography to see how this print was made.