Artwork
Christ
Christ is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Odilon Redon. It dates from 1887 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Odilon Redon’s lithograph titled *Christ* dates from 1887. Executed as a print, the work presents a close‑up portrait of the biblical figure, rendered in a stark, monochrome palette that emphasizes the solemnity of the subject.
Subject & Meaning
The image concentrates on the face of Christ, portraying a serious, introspective expression. The skin appears textured, reminiscent of carved stone, while the single eye is rendered with a striking clarity that draws the viewer’s focus amid the surrounding darkness.
Technique & Style
Redon employed the lithographic process with a deliberately rough, uneven hand, producing a gritty surface that suggests the use of a coarse drawing tool. The hair merges into the shadowed background, and the overall treatment is raw, contrasting sharply with the smooth finishes typical of conventional painting.
Context
Created during the late nineteenth‑century Symbolist movement, the work reflects Redon’s interest in spiritual and mystical themes. The austere treatment of the figure aligns with his broader exploration of the unseen and the transcendent through unconventional printmaking methods.
Artist & collection
Artist
Born Bertrand-Jean Redon on 20 April 1840 in Bordeaux, the artist adopted the name Odilon from his mother, Marie-Odile.
C'est le Diable
Christ
And He Had in His Right Hand Seven Stars; and Out of His Mouth Went a Sharp Two-Edged Sword
Untitled
C'etait un voile, un empreinte (It was a veil, an imprint)
Une longue chrysalide couleur de sang (A longchrysalis, the color of blood)
Profil de lumiere (Profile of light)
It Is the Devil, Bearing Beneath His Two Wings the Seven Deadly Sins
Christ