Brown Paper Cover (wrapper) for the series, The Haunted House (La Maison Hantée)
Original title: Brown Paper Cover (wrapper) for the series, The Haunted House (La Maison Hantée)
kurzbeschreibung
Odilon Redon made this cover in 1896 for the lithographic series La Maison Hantée. The sheet carries only the title in dark lettering on beige-brown paper, with no further images. It is folded and measures 45.5 x 65.4 cm when open.
Description
On the beige-brown ground, the title La Maison hantée appears in French script, dark and almost black, placed centrally. The typeface looks plain and clear. At lower right is a small, barely legible handwritten signature. The paper shows a slight texture as well as creases and scratches, suggesting an old, worn copy. The lighting is even, without shadows or highlights.
Context
As an interpretation of Charles Dickens's novel The Haunted House, Redon's lithographic series La Maison Hantée was created in 1896 with 22 sheets that capture the gloomy mood of the source. The brown paper cover served as a simple wrapper for the portfolio, as was customary at the time. In this phase Redon turned increasingly to black-and-white technique.
Impact
The restriction to text and paper feels calm and almost meditative. Through the plain design the title comes into focus and leaves room for imaginings of the haunted house. The signs of use give the object an authentic, historical aura.
Technique
The cover is a lithograph, a planographic printing process in which a design is drawn on stone with greasy chalk. The title was presumably also printed in this technique. The beige-brown paper has a visible texture that suggests a handmade or structured paper type.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)