Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Odilon Redon. It dates from 1899 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
The woman's headscarf and the dark shape create a sense of depth and contrast in the image.
This painting is a lithograph on chine appliqué, created in 1899. It features a woman with her head turned to the left, wearing a headscarf. Her face is blurred, and her body is partially obscured by a dark shape behind her.
The woman's headscarf and the dark shape create a sense of depth and contrast in the image. The blurred face adds a sense of mystery to the painting.
To learn more about the artist who created this work, explore the art of Odilon Redon.
Overview
Created in 1899, this work by Odilon Redon is a lithographic print executed on chine appliqué, a paper‑based support that allows for delicate layering. The composition presents a solitary female figure whose head is turned leftward, her visage softened and indistinct, while a dark mass looms behind her, generating a subtle spatial tension.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is a woman draped in a modest headscarf; the obscured facial features and the shadowy form that partially conceals her body evoke an atmosphere of ambiguity and introspection. The interplay of concealment and suggestion invites viewers to contemplate themes of identity, presence, and the unseen aspects of the self.
Technique & Style
Redon employed lithography—a printmaking process that captures the artist’s hand‑drawn lines on a stone or metal plate—combined with the textured surface of chine appliqué. The muted palette and soft focus are characteristic of his Symbolist aesthetic, emphasizing mood over precise representation and allowing the image to hover between reality and dream.
History & Provenance
The piece belongs to the period when Redon was actively experimenting with lithographic media, a practice he pursued extensively before largely abandoning it after the turn of the century. While specific ownership records are limited, the work reflects the artist’s transitional phase from his earlier charcoal “noirs” toward the pastel and oil paintings that defined his later output.
Artist & collection
Artist
Born Bertrand-Jean Redon on 20 April 1840 in Bordeaux, the artist adopted the name Odilon from his mother, Marie-Odile.
