Artwork
Hantise (Obsession)
Hantise (Obsession) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Odilon Redon. It dates from 1894 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Hantise (Obsession) is a 1894 lithograph by French artist Odilon Redon, characterized by a haunting, monochromatic depiction of a woman surrounded by eerie, floating faces.
Subject & Meaning
The print features a tall, pale woman with an indistinct face and limp hands, engulfed by a dark background. Three unattached, unsettling faces—a skull-like visage, a grinning mouth, and eyes with dark hollows—hover around her, evoking a sense of psychological turmoil or haunting.
Technique & Style
Executed solely in black and white, Redon leverages lithography's capabilities to craft a dreamlike, unsettling atmosphere. The stark contrast and ghostly rendering of the floating faces amplify the overall sense of unease.
History & Provenance
Created in 1894, specific details regarding the print's original exhibition, ownership history, or edition size are not provided in the available information.
Context
Hantise (Obsession) aligns with the Symbolist movement's exploration of the subconscious and the emotional. Redon's use of ambiguous, haunting imagery reflects the period's fascination with the mysterious and the inner life.
Legacy
As a work emblematic of Redon's Symbolist output, Hantise (Obsession) contributes to the artist's reputation for capturing the intricacies of the human psyche through enigmatic, visually striking prints.
Artist & collection
Artist
Born Bertrand-Jean Redon on 20 April 1840 in Bordeaux, the artist adopted the name Odilon from his mother, Marie-Odile.
The Man Was Alone in a Night Landscape
Et il avait dans sa main droit sept etoiles, et de sa bouch sortait une epee aigue a deux tranchants (And he had in his right hand seven stars; and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword)
Et un autre ange sortit du temple qui est au ciel, ayant lui aussi une faucille tranchante (And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, and he also having a sharp sickle)
And He Had in His Right Hand Seven Stars; and Out of His Mouth Went a Sharp Two-Edged Sword
La Mort: Mon ironie depasse toutes les autres! (Death: My iron surpasses all others!)
La Femme (frontispiece)
Hommage à Tolstoï
And a Large Bird, Descending from the Sky, Hurls Itself against the Topmost Point of Her Hair