Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a charcoal drawing by the Impressionist artist Odilon Redon. It dates from 1892 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1892, this drawing by French Symbolist Odilon Redon combines charcoal and chalk on paper. Executed in his early, monochrome phase, the work exemplifies Redon's interest in atmospheric, imaginative scenes rendered in dark media before his later turn to color.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents a pale, kneeling figure set in a dim interior, its face rendered faintly and serenely. A subtle halo glows behind the head, while a modest table in the background holds a barely discernible pitcher and cup, suggesting a quiet, contemplative moment.
Technique & Style
Redon employs smudged charcoal lines and chalk shading to soften edges and generate a dreamlike ambience. The use of scumbling—layered, chalky strokes—creates a hazy texture that obscures detail, emphasizing mood over precise representation and reinforcing the work's ethereal quality.
Context
During the 1880s and early 1890s, Redon produced a series of monochromatic drawings known as his "noirs," focusing on charcoal and lithography. This piece belongs to that period, preceding his shift in the mid‑1890s toward pastel and oil paintings that introduced brighter palettes.
Artist & collection
Artist
Born Bertrand-Jean Redon on 20 April 1840 in Bordeaux, the artist adopted the name Odilon from his mother, Marie-Odile.
