Artwork
The Haunting (Hantise)
The Haunting (Hantise) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Odilon Redon. It dates from 1893 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Odilon Redon’s 1893 lithograph The Haunting (Hantise) presents a nocturnal scene dominated by two ethereal figures. Rendered on wove paper, the print’s composition is marked for reduction, resulting in a composition where details recede while the overall atmosphere remains pronounced.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure stands upright, cloaked in a long, flowing robe, while a second, partially obscured presence leans against the first, its face indistinct and hands resting on the shoulders. The interaction of the two figures, set against a mist‑filled backdrop, suggests a dialogue between the visible and the unseen, evoking themes of memory, loss, or spectral visitation.
Technique & Style
Redon employed the lithographic process, allowing for soft, diffused edges that lend the figures a dreamlike quality. The print’s reduction marks mean that finer details are intentionally subdued, emphasizing tonal variation and the swirling, smoke‑like lines that fill the background, creating a sense of depth and ambiguity.
Context
Created during the late 19th‑century Symbolist movement, The Haunting reflects Redon’s interest in the subconscious and the uncanny. The work aligns with his broader exploration of ethereal subjects, where the boundary between reality and imagination is deliberately blurred.
Artist & collection
Artist
Born Bertrand-Jean Redon on 20 April 1840 in Bordeaux, the artist adopted the name Odilon from his mother, Marie-Odile.
