Artwork
And I Saw an Angel Coming Down from Heaven, Having the Key of the Bottomless Pit and a Great Chain in His Hand
And I Saw an Angel Coming Down from Heaven, Having the Key of the Bottomless Pit and a Great Chain in His Hand 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
This print is part of a series of 12 lithographs by Odilon Redon, illustrating passages from the Book of Revelation. The series was the last of Redon's 11 lithographic portfolios and was published by Ambroise Vollard.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a winged angel descending from clouds, holding a large key and chain, directly referencing a specific passage from Revelation. The image is one of several in the series that closely follow the biblical text.
Technique & Style
The print showcases Redon's use of lithography to create a somber, atmospheric scene. The style is characterized by a level of detail and adherence to the biblical narrative that is distinct from Redon's typically more dreamlike work.
History & Provenance
The series was published by Ambroise Vollard, who had begun promoting Redon's work about a year earlier, establishing a market for his prints in Paris and internationally. By this time, Redon was an established artist.
Artist & collection
Artist
Born Bertrand-Jean Redon on 20 April 1840 in Bordeaux, the artist adopted the name Odilon from his mother, Marie-Odile.
And His Name That Sat on Him Was Death
The Chimera with Green Eyes Turns, Bays
And Bound Him a Thousand Years
And a Large Bird, Descending from the Sky, Hurls Itself against the Topmost Point of Her Hair
It Is a Skull Wreathed with Roses. It Dominates a Woman's Torso of Pearly Whiteness
First a Pool of Water, Then a Prostitute, the Corner of a Temple, a Soldier's Face, a Chariot with Two White, Rearing Horses
It Is the Devil, Bearing Beneath His Two Wings the Seven Deadly Sins