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Si par une nuit lourde et sombre, un bon chretien, par charite, derriere quelque vieux decombre, enterre votre corps voute (If on a close dark night a good Christian, out of charity, behind some old ruin, buries your arched body)

Odilon Redon

1890

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century

Dominant colour

Si par une nuit lourde et sombre, un bon chretien, par charite, derriere quelque vieux decombre, enterre votre corps voute (If on a close dark night a good Christian, out of charity, behind some old ruin, buries your arched body) is a 1890 ink by Odilon Redon, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Odilon Redon
When & what style?: 1890 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a shadowy figure standing near a crumbling tomb. The tomb is covered in vines and flowers, with a dark, arched top. Above it, a ghostly hand reaches down, and the sky looks stormy with swirling lines. The artist used loose, sketchy lines to create a dreamy, almost ghostly mood. The mix of decay and life—like the flowers on the tomb—adds a strange contrast. Next, check out lithography to see how this print was made.