Who painted Femme de Profil (Profile of a Woman)?

Femme de Profil (Profile of a Woman) was painted by Odilon Redon in 1900.

Where can I see Femme de Profil (Profile of a Woman)?

Femme de Profil (Profile of a Woman) is held by National Gallery of Art.

Artwork

Femme de Profil (Profile of a Woman)

Odilon Redon , 1900

Femme de Profil (Profile of a Woman) is an ink print by Odilon Redon. It dates from 1900 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

The woman’s hooded form dominates the foreground, while an elongated, ambiguous figure looms behind her, suggesting a presence beyond the visible.

Femme de Profil, created by Odilon Redon in 1900, is a lithograph capturing a solitary female figure in profile. The composition is spare, emphasizing quiet introspection over detail. The woman’s hooded form dominates the foreground, while an elongated, ambiguous figure looms behind her, suggesting a presence beyond the visible. The work’s restrained palette and fluid lines convey a sense of stillness and mystery.

Subject & Meaning

The woman’s calm, serious expression and enclosed posture evoke inner contemplation, while the spectral figure behind her—holding a staff and surrounded by floating, paper-like forms—introduces an enigmatic, possibly symbolic presence. Redon avoids clear narrative, instead inviting interpretation through atmosphere. The imagery suggests psychological depth, aligning with Symbolist interests in the unseen and the subconscious.

Technique & Style

Redon employed lithography to achieve soft, atmospheric effects, using loose, gestural lines that suggest form without defining it. Areas of the image remain deliberately sketchy, with minimal shading and no hard contours. This deliberate incompleteness enhances the dreamlike quality, reflecting his preference for suggestion over realism. The medium allowed subtle tonal gradations, reinforcing the ethereal mood.

History & Provenance

Created in 1900, this lithograph emerged during Redon’s mature period, when he increasingly turned to printmaking after earlier work in charcoal and pastel. It was likely produced as part of a series exploring introspective and mystical themes. While its early ownership is undocumented, it entered institutional collections in the 20th century as interest in Symbolist prints grew.

Context

Femme de Profil reflects the Symbolist movement’s preoccupation with inner states and metaphysical themes, contrasting with the naturalism of contemporaneous Realism and Impressionism. Redon’s use of ambiguity and poetic suggestion aligned him with writers like Mallarmé and Baudelaire. The work also shows his shift from dark, fantastical imagery toward more subdued, contemplative subjects in his later years.

Legacy

Though not among Redon’s most widely reproduced works, Femme de Profil exemplifies his mastery of lithography to evoke mood over narrative. Its influence is seen in later artists who embraced psychological depth and atmospheric ambiguity in printmaking. The piece remains a quiet testament to his ability to convey the ineffable through minimal means.