Artwork
Le Jour (Day)
Le Jour (Day) 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
Le Jour (Day) is a lithograph print created by Odilon Redon in 1891, characterized by a serene composition featuring a prominent sun, minimalist landscape, and distinctive coloring.
Subject & Meaning
The subject is a simplified, symbolic depiction of daytime, emphasizing the sun's presence above a barely suggested horizon. The sparse, flat landscape underscores the sun's dominance.
Technique & Style
Executed in lithography, the work leverages the medium's capabilities for smooth, soft shading, evident in the gradations of the pale blue sky and the rounded sun. The thin green line representing the ground contrasts with the expansive, creamy sky.
History & Provenance
Created in 1891, specific details regarding the work's provenance and exhibition history are not provided in the available information.
Context
Le Jour reflects Redon's exploration of Symbolist themes, often emphasizing mood and suggestion over detailed realism, aligning with late 19th-century artistic movements that valued emotional and psychological depth.
Legacy
As part of Redon's lithographic output, Le Jour contributes to the broader recognition of his innovative applications of the medium and his influence on subsequent artists experimenting with printmaking and Symbolist imagery.
Artist & collection
Artist
Born Bertrand-Jean Redon on 20 April 1840 in Bordeaux, the artist adopted the name Odilon from his mother, Marie-Odile.
Deer in the Woods (Les Cerfs sous bois)
Window
Landscape (Paysage)
The Reader: The Lecture under the Trees
Memories of Fountainebleau in the Rain (Souvenir de Fountainebleau (Effet de pluie))
Le Matin, carrefour des Forts Marlotte
In the Woods
The Laundress: La Blanchisseuse de la place Dauphine
Farm with a Large Tree (La Ferme au Grand Arbre)
Untitled
The House in Moonlight
Le Jour (Day)