Pegasus and Bellerophon
Original title: Pegasus and Bellerophon
kurzbeschreibung
Odilon Redon drew Pegasus and Bellerophon around 1888. The winged stallion Pegasus and his rider Bellerophon appear on bluish paper, worked in charcoal, charcoal with water wash, white chalk, conté crayon and highlighting by erasure. The sheet joins mythology with a dream world and is typical of Redon's symbolist imagery.
Description
Pegasus dominates the image: the wings are spread wide, the pose caught as if at the instant of takeoff. Bellerophon sits on the horse's back. Charcoal and the other drawing media stress contours and shadows. The background stays bare and warm brown, so the figures stand out. A slight blue tone in the paper shapes the overall key. Flowing lines convey movement and power.
Context
In this phase of his career Redon turned increasingly to mythological subjects, influenced by French Symbolism. In antiquity Pegasus and Bellerophon stood for inspiration and the poet's ascent. Redon often used charcoal and paper to create a dreamlike atmosphere. The drawing was made at a time when the public paid him little attention, though his fellow artists valued him.
Impact
Dark, almost monochrome tonality and Pegasus's emphatic dynamism give the sheet immediate force. Fine contours and soft shading produce a floating, surreal mood. The viewer is drawn into a mythical scene that radiates both movement and stillness.
Technique
Charcoal, charcoal with water wash, white chalk and conté crayon were used on bluish paper. The water wash provides soft transitions, while erasure sets lights with precision. The paper's blue tone and the dark passages are played against each other to create depth.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)