Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a pastel drawing by Odilon Redon. It dates from 1912 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1912, this work by French Symbolist Odilon Redon is executed in pastel on colored paper. The composition presents a delicate bouquet of white‑petaled flowers with green foliage, set against a luminous yellow field edged in blue. Subtle brown‑black tones and scattered blue lines and dots form the background, giving the piece a soft, atmospheric quality.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts a simple floral arrangement, its white blossoms and verdant leaves rendered with a gentle, almost lyrical touch. While Redon did not assign a title, the emphasis on color and light suggests an exploration of beauty and transience, themes recurrent in his later, more luminous period.
Technique & Style
Redon employs pastel on a tinted paper support, allowing the pigment to blend smoothly while retaining visible, expressive strokes. The loose handling of the medium creates texture on the petals and leaves, and the contrasting outlines in blue define forms without hardening the overall softness of the image.
History & Provenance
The piece belongs to Redon’s post‑1890s phase, when he moved away from the charcoal “noirs” of his early career toward coloristic media such as pastel and oil. Produced near the end of his life, it reflects his mature aesthetic, though specific ownership details prior to its current collection remain undocumented.
Artist & collection
Artist
Born Bertrand-Jean Redon on 20 April 1840 in Bordeaux, the artist adopted the name Odilon from his mother, Marie-Odile.
