Puis je vis, dans la main droite de celui quietait assis sur le trone, un livre ecritdedans et dehors, scelle de sept sceaux (And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals )

Redon employed lithography to achieve a soft, atmospheric effect, using fluid, sketchy lines that dissolve form into shadow. The background is rendered with swirling, indistinct marks, suggesting a void or cosmic space. The throne and book are defined minimally, allowing the viewer’s imagination to fill the gaps. This approach aligns with Symbolist aesthetics, prioritizing mood and suggestion over precise representation.

The lithograph was produced in 1899 as part of Redon’s series of biblical and mythological prints. It entered the National Gallery of Art’s collection through the A.W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust in 1937. Its preservation reflects early 20th-century interest in Symbolist printmaking, and it remains one of the few works by Redon in American public collections that engage directly with religious themes.

In the late 19th century, Redon shifted from dark, fantastical imagery to more contemplative, spiritual subjects. This work emerged alongside broader cultural interest in mysticism, esotericism, and biblical symbolism among artists and intellectuals. Unlike contemporaries who sought realism, Redon used ambiguity to evoke inner experience, aligning his prints with literary Symbolism and the search for transcendence beyond the material world.

Redon’s lithograph influenced later artists exploring inner states through abstracted forms and symbolic content. Its restrained use of line and emphasis on emotional resonance prefigured aspects of Expressionism and Surrealism. While not widely reproduced, it remains a key example of how Symbolist printmaking transformed religious imagery into a vehicle for psychological and metaphysical inquiry.