Artwork
La Chute de Phaëton
La Chute de Phaëton is an oil painting by Odilon Redon. It dates from 1910 and is held in the collection of the Foundation E.G. Bührle Collection.
About this work
Overview
La Chute de Phaëton is a 1910 oil painting by French Symbolist artist Odilon Redon, created during a period when he transitioned from charcoal and lithography to pastel and oil.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts the mythological fall of Phaëton, son of Helios, who loses control of his father's chariot and crashes to earth, conveying a sense of chaos and loss.
Technique & Style
Characterized by soft, blurry brushstrokes, the work achieves a dreamlike quality, with the horses and chariot appearing to float in mid-air, evoking a sense of movement and energy.
History & Provenance
The painting is part of the Kunsthaus Zürich collection, created by an artist whose work gained recognition after being referenced in Joris-Karl Huysmans' 1884 novel À rebours.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Born Bertrand-Jean Redon on 20 April 1840 in Bordeaux, the artist adopted the name Odilon from his mother, Marie-Odile.
