Day (Le Jour), from the series, Dreams (Songes), plate VI
Original title: Day (Le Jour), from the series, Dreams (Songes), plate VI
kurzbeschreibung
Odilon Redon's lithograph "Day (Le Jour)" from 1891 is the sixth plate in his series "Dreams (Songes)". A window with a delicate lattice structure reveals leaves and branches beyond. The work is executed as a lithograph on chine collé.
Description
A window with a fine lattice dominates the foreground and forms the center of the layout. Behind the mullions, leaves and branches appear, blocking the view outward. The light seems diffuse and to come from outside, suggesting shadows and leaf structure. The drawing is linear and detailed, typical of lithographs of this period. The image remains black and white, with no additional figures or objects.
Context
The series "Dreams (Songes)" was created in the 1890s, when Redon was intensively using lithography as an artistic medium. It comprises ten plates and was published in 1891. Redon was known for symbolist and dreamlike motifs, often imbued with a mystical, mysterious mood. The plate "Day" falls into a phase in which he increasingly experimented with effects of light and shadow.
Impact
The print feels calm and contemplative, reinforced by the central window view and the diffuse light. The lattice structure and leaves create a subtle tension between inside and outside, near and far. The viewer can let their gaze wander through the window and absorb the dreamlike atmosphere.
Technique
Lithograph on chine collé, in which a thin China paper is glued onto a support paper. The only state (only state) of the print is present. The image size is 21 x 15.6 cm, the sheet format 44.8 x 31.6 cm. The execution is black and white, as is usual for Redon's prints of this period.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)