Artwork
Below, I Saw the Vaporous Contours of a Human Form
Below, I Saw the Vaporous Contours of a Human Form is a print by the Impressionist artist Odilon Redon. It dates from 1896 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
You can barely tell it’s a person—just a hint of shoulders, a curve that might be a head.
A ghostly shape drifts in soft gray mist. You can barely tell it’s a person—just a hint of shoulders, a curve that might be a head.
Redon made this print after reading a spooky 1859 novel about ghosts and hidden rooms. He didn’t draw clear figures; instead, he let shadows suggest things half-seen. The blur feels like a memory or a dream.
If you like this quiet, eerie style, look up the technique sfumato.
Overview
Below, I Saw the Vaporous Contours of a Human Form is a print by Odilon Redon, part of a series inspired by literary themes.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a ghostly figure shrouded in mist, its form barely discernible. The imagery is evocative of the supernatural and mysterious tone found in Edward Bulwer-Lytton's 1859 novel, The Haunted and the Haunters.
Technique & Style
Redon, an experienced lithographer, collaborated with printer Auguste Clot to achieve rich tonal variations. Techniques such as layering marks, scratching the stone, and using the lithographic crayon on its side created the soft, hazy effect characteristic of the print.
Context
The work reflects Redon's interest in contemporary literature and its influence on his art, as well as his exploration of sfumato, a technique that achieves a similar soft, hazy effect by layering thin glazes of paint or, in this case, manipulating lithographic techniques.
Artist & collection
Artist
Born Bertrand-Jean Redon on 20 April 1840 in Bordeaux, the artist adopted the name Odilon from his mother, Marie-Odile.
