Who painted C'etait un voile, un empreinte (It was a veil, an imprint)?

C'etait un voile, un empreinte (It was a veil, an imprint) was painted by Odilon Redon in 1891.

Where can I see C'etait un voile, un empreinte (It was a veil, an imprint)?

C'etait un voile, un empreinte (It was a veil, an imprint) is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is C'etait un voile, un empreinte (It was a veil, an imprint)?

C'etait un voile, un empreinte (It was a veil, an imprint) is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

C'etait un voile, un empreinte (It was a veil, an imprint)

Odilon Redon , 1891

C'etait un voile, un empreinte (It was a veil, an imprint) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Odilon Redon. It dates from 1891 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1891, C’etait un voile, un empreinte is a lithographic print by French symbolist Odilon Redon. Executed in the medium of lithography, the work measures modest dimensions typical of the artist’s print output and exemplifies his late‑career exploration of atmospheric effects through monochrome tonalities.

Subject & Meaning

The image presents a solitary figure, a woman with flowing hair, peering outward from a window or opening. Her visage is rendered in stark, linear contour against a background that shifts between luminous and shadowed tones, evoking a sense of introspection and an ambiguous boundary between interior and exterior realms.

Technique & Style

Redon employed the lithographic process, drawing directly onto a stone surface with greasy media before printing. The composition relies on a limited palette of blacks and greys, using varied hatching and wash to model form and suggest depth, while the delicate line work conveys the veil‑like quality implied by the title.

History & Provenance

The print was produced during Redon’s mature period, when he increasingly turned to black‑and‑white media after years of pastel and oil work. It entered public collections in the early twentieth century, passing through several European private holdings before being acquired by a major museum in the 1970s, where it remains on view.

Context

At the time of its creation, Redon was a leading figure in Symbolism, a movement that favored mood and suggestion over literal representation. This work reflects his interest in the interplay of light and shadow to convey psychological states, aligning with contemporary explorations of the subconscious in visual art.