1898
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Young Man (Jeune Homme) is a 1898 ink by Odilon Redon, a Impressionism work, depicting Chignon, held at National Gallery of Art.
You see a young man from behind, his head bowed slightly, long hair tied in a braid. The lines are soft, drawn in black ink on textured paper, giving him a quiet, dreamlike presence. The background swirls with loose, looping marks that don’t form any real shape. These lines don’t show a place but seem to echo a mood—like thoughts drifting just out of reach. Redon often drew this way, focusing on feeling rather than clear details. He believed art could express what words couldn’t, especially inner life. This drawing shows how simple marks can suggest deep calm or sadness. Look next at the technique: cross-hatching.
Born Bertrand-Jean Redon on 20 April 1840 in Bordeaux, the artist adopted the name Odilon from his mother, Marie-Odile.
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