Below, I Saw the Vaporous Contours of a Human Form

1896
(French, 1840–1916)
(French, 1858–1936)
Image: 25.3 x 18.1 cm (9 15/16 x 7 1/8 in.); Sheet: 44.9 x 31.2 cm (17 11/16 x 12 5/16 in.)
Catalogue raisonné: Mellerio 161
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location: not on view

Download, Print and Share

Did You Know?

One of Redon's greatest patrons, the occultist René Philipon, commissioned this portfolio as a supplement for his French translation of Bulwer-Lytton's The Haunted and the Haunters.

Description

Odilon Redon was a voracious reader of contemporary literature, and such texts often influenced his art. This series was inspired by The Haunted and the Haunters, an 1859 novel by British writer Edward Bulwer-Lytton. Redon’s prints capture the book’s mysterious tone and emphasis on the supernatural through vague but evocative imagery that sometimes borders on abstraction. By this time a seasoned expert in lithography, the artist collaborated with master printer Auguste Clot. Their combined technical skills allowed for the rich tonal variation seen here, made by turning Redon’s lithographic crayon on its side, layering various marks, and even scratching directly into the surface of his stone.
Below, I Saw the Vaporous Contours of a Human Form

Below, I Saw the Vaporous Contours of a Human Form

1896

Odilon Redon, Auguste Clot

(French, 1840–1916), (French, 1858–1936)
France, late 19th Century

Visually Similar Artworks

Contact us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.

To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.