He fixed his eyes on me with an expression that was so strange
Original title: He fixed his eyes on me with an expression that was so strange
kurzbeschreibung
In 1896, amid an intense engagement with printmaking, Odilon Redon produced 'He Fixed His Gaze on Me with an Expression That Was So Strange,' a lithograph featuring a dog in a lively pose. The sheet measures 44.6 x 31.6 cm, while the image itself is 22.8 x 15.2 cm. Shades of gray and black dominate the entire print.
Description
A dog, tail raised and head turned forward, fills the sheet. Its face carries a peculiar, almost pensive quality. Two dark, striped areas lie behind the animal, readable as shadows or as abstract interventions. Light falls from the front onto the body, tracing its edges. The layout remains simple and entirely focused on the animal.
Context
Created in 1896, when Redon was increasingly turning to graphic processes, this print belongs to a series that explores visionary and dreamlike imagery. The artist's fascination with the uncanny and the unconscious is reflected in the dog's unsettling appearance.
Impact
The animal's strange gaze creates a mood that is both disturbing and arresting. The limited tones and the lively posture heighten the sense of a surreal encounter. Standing before the print, viewers find themselves caught between reality and imagination.
Technique
The image was printed as a lithograph, drawn with greasy crayon on a stone plate. The gradations of gray and black come from printing with black ink. Visible strokes and brush marks make the dog's texture and form tangible, demonstrating Redon's draftsmanship.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)