Pilgrim from a sublunar world
Original title: Pilgrim from a sublunar world
kurzbeschreibung
A rider in a nocturnal landscape: Odilon Redon's lithograph 'Pilgrim from a Sublunar World' dates from 1891 and belongs to the artist's symbolist prints. It comes from the portfolio 'Les Songes'.
Description
In the foreground sits a figure with a pale veil on a dark horse, its head turned to the left. Deep shadows fall across the animal's body, its contours barely discernible. Behind, a landscape opens up with trees and a path crossed by a bright light from above. Fine grey tones, built from the hatching and lines of the lithograph, dominate the image. The arrangement is asymmetrical: the rider is the focal point, the light in the background provides the contrast.
Context
Redon made this print in 1891, during a phase of intense engagement with fantastical and dreamlike motifs. It belongs to the portfolio 'Les Songes', which appeared the same year. It was above all in black-and-white lithography that the artist found a medium for his visionary ideas. The appearance of a pilgrim here points to spiritual and metaphysical questions, frequently taken up in Symbolism.
Impact
A quiet, enigmatic mood arises from the interplay of light and shadow. The pale veil stands out against the dark surroundings and draws the eye to the figure; its meaning invites reflection. The sparing use of colour and the delicate lines give the print a meditative depth.
Technique
Redon drew with chalk on the stone and then printed from this matrix. The process allows nuanced grey values and precise shading, which are crucial to the atmospheric effect. The sheet measures 45 x 31.5 cm, the printed image 27.7 x 20.5 cm.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)