Study of Man between Trees
Original title: Study of Man between Trees
kurzbeschreibung
Odilon Redon draws a man in dark clothing standing between two trees of very different shape, in a sheet made sometime between 1860 and 1880. The motif is worked out in black-and-white tones with a sparing use of line.
Description
The man stands at the middle of the image, flanked on the left by a massive, leafless tree and on the right by a slimmer, leafy one. Further trees and shrubs behind him suggest a setting that stays sketched in with related strokes. A few lines outline the ground. Light falls evenly, with no strong shadows, which hints at an overcast sky. The figure looks plain, almost monumental.
Context
Redon was in an early phase when he made this, with drawing and printmaking at the centre of his interests. The years 1860 to 1880 fall in the period when he broke away from conventional ideas of landscape and found his way to a symbolist imagery. The sheet probably served as a preparatory study for larger works; its restrained design matches Redon's concern with the relationship between man and nature.
Impact
The monumental man and the bare surroundings call up a quiet, reflective mood. Because the sheet limits itself to a few lines, it gains a timeless, almost archaic feel.
Technique
No technique is documented; analysis of the sheet nonetheless points to a drawing in black-and-white tones with simple yet detailed linework. Charcoal or black chalk on paper is a possible material, as both were common in Redon's early work.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)