Artwork
The Buddha
The Buddha is a print by the Impressionist artist Odilon Redon. It dates from 1895 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
The Buddha is a 1895 print by Odilon Redon, a French Symbolist artist, marking a shift from his earlier darker, monochromatic *noirs* to a more nuanced style.
Subject & Meaning
The subject, a Buddha figure, is depicted with a large, rounded body and a small head, standing against a dark background, evoking contemplation through its downward gaze.
Technique & Style
Executed in black and white, the print utilizes intricate lines and shading to achieve a three-dimensional, highly realistic representation, characteristic of Redon's later work.
History & Provenance
Created in 1895, this piece reflects Redon's transitional period, moving away from charcoal and lithographs towards exploring other mediums like pastels and oils in the 1890s.
Context
Within Redon's oeuvre, *The Buddha* sits at the cusp of his stylistic evolution, distancing from the somberness of his *noirs* while maintaining his signature draftsmanship.
Legacy
As part of Redon's later output, *The Buddha* contributes to the broader appreciation of his versatility and the Symbolist movement's exploration of themes beyond the mundane.
Artist & collection
Artist
Born Bertrand-Jean Redon on 20 April 1840 in Bordeaux, the artist adopted the name Odilon from his mother, Marie-Odile.
When Life Was Awakening in the Depths of Obscure Matter
Cellule Auriculaire
Untitled
Flowers Fall and the Head of a Python Appears
Le Sphynx...mon regard que rien ne peut devier, demeure tendu a travers les choses sur un horizon inaccessible. La Chimere: Moi,Je suis legere et joyeuse (The Sphinx: "My gaze, which nothing can deflect, passes through the things and remains fixed on an inaccessible horizon." The Chimera: "I am weightless and joyful")
The Man Was Alone in a Night Landscape
Cellule Auriculaire (Auricular Cell)
Pélerin du monde sublunaire (Pilgrim of the sublunary world)
Sur le fond de nos nuits dieu de son doigt savant dessine un cauchemar multiforme et sans treve (On backdrop of our nights God with His knowing finger traces a multiform implacable nightmare)
Une femme revêtue du Soleil (A woman clothed with the sun)
Et celui qui était monté dessus se nommait la Mort (And his name that sat on him was Death)
Le Buddha