Artwork

And Another Angel Came Out of the Temple which is in Heaven, and He also Having a Sharp Sickle

And Another Angel Came Out of the Temple which is in Heaven, and He also Having a Sharp Sickle is a print by the Impressionist artist Odilon Redon. It dates from 1899 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Published by Ambroise Vollard, the portfolio marked a culmination of Redon’s printmaking efforts and solidified his standing in the Parisian art market.

This lithograph is the final piece in Odilon Redon’s eleven-print series inspired by the Book of Revelation. Created in 1903, it belongs to a rare phase in his career where he directly illustrated biblical texts rather than evoking abstract moods. Published by Ambroise Vollard, the portfolio marked a culmination of Redon’s printmaking efforts and solidified his standing in the Parisian art market.

Subject & Meaning

The image depicts an angel emerging from dark clouds, wielding a sickle—a symbol drawn from Revelation’s apocalyptic visions. Unlike Redon’s usual dreamlike symbolism, this work adheres closely to scriptural descriptions, including the angel’s tool and celestial setting. The scene conveys divine judgment, aligning with traditional iconography while retaining Redon’s signature ambiguity through shadow and form.

Technique & Style

Redon employed lithography to achieve subtle tonal gradations, softening contours with smudged ink to create a hazy, atmospheric effect. The angel’s wings and the swirling background dissolve into near-abstract darkness, blending the supernatural with the unseen. This technique, akin to sfumato, avoids sharp definition, enhancing the sense of mystery and otherworldliness.

History & Provenance

The series was commissioned and distributed by Ambroise Vollard, who had begun promoting Redon’s prints in 1902. Vollard’s efforts helped establish Redon’s reputation beyond France, particularly among collectors interested in Symbolist and esoteric themes. This portfolio was among the last major print projects Redon completed before shifting focus to pastels and painting.

Context

Redon’s engagement with biblical imagery placed him in dialogue with earlier artists like Dürer and Blake, who had also interpreted Revelation. Yet his approach diverged by emphasizing mood over narrative clarity. The series emerged during a period of renewed interest in spiritual symbolism, reflecting broader fin-de-siècle anxieties about faith, mortality, and cosmic order.

Legacy

Though less celebrated than his earlier nocturnes, this series demonstrated Redon’s ability to reconcile traditional iconography with personal vision. It influenced later Symbolist and Surrealist artists who valued layered meaning and atmospheric ambiguity. The prints remain key examples of how religious themes were reimagined in modern printmaking, beyond literal representation.