Profil de lumiere (Profile of light)

Redon employed the lithographic process, using fine, feathery strokes to achieve a luminous effect. The interplay of bright white pigment against deep black ink exploits the medium’s capacity for sharp tonal contrast, giving the figure a sense of three‑dimensionality despite the flat surface.

Created in the late nineteenth century, Profil de lumière belongs to Redon’s series of symbolist prints that explore light and shadow. The work’s provenance traces through several private collections before entering a public institution, where it has been displayed as part of exhibitions on Symbolist art.

The lithograph reflects Redon’s interest in the ethereal qualities of light, a recurring theme in his oeuvre during the 1880s. Its minimalist composition aligns with contemporary Symbolist tendencies to evoke mood and inner experience rather than narrative detail.