The evocative, symbolic art of Odilon Redon drew its inspiration from the internal world of his imagination. For years this student of Rodolphe Bresdin worked only in black and white, producing powerful and haunting charcoal drawings, lithographs, and etchings. Just as these black works, or Noirs, began to receive critical and public acclaim in the 1890s, Redon discovered the marvels of color through the use of pastel. His immersion in color and this new technique brought about a change in the artist’s approach to his subject matter as well. Flower Clouds is one of a number of pastels executed around 1905 that are dominated by spiritual overtones. Here a sailboat bears two figures, perhaps two saintly women, on a timeless journey through a fantastic, phosphorescent sea and sky. The dreamlike skiff may reflect Redon’s internal voyage, replacing the nocturnal turmoil of the earlier Noirs with a more hopeful vision. The luminous intensity of the pastels echoes the ardent spirituality of the theme.
Art Institute of Chicago
Thanks for Visiting 🙂
~Sunnyside
At Sunnyside - Where Truth and Beauty Meet 
Wonderful!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for visiting, Luisa. 🙂
LikeLike
Flowers as clouds: an excellent conception.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Agree! 😎
LikeLike
These are beautiful and thsnks for introducing a new painter to me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My pleasure, Dawn! Thanks for visiting. 🙂
LikeLike
Beautiful painting and great accompanying explanation. Thanks, Sunny.❤️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi, Sister Renee. Thanks for visiting! 🙂
LikeLike
Reblogged this on penwithlit and commented:
Lovely how Redon burst from melancholic black and white into lyrical and subtle colour.
LikeLiked by 1 person