Who painted Volupte, Fantome Elastique! (Pleasure, elastic phantom!)?

Volupte, Fantome Elastique! (Pleasure, elastic phantom!) was painted by Odilon Redon in 1890.

Where can I see Volupte, Fantome Elastique! (Pleasure, elastic phantom!)?

Volupte, Fantome Elastique! (Pleasure, elastic phantom!) is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Volupte, Fantome Elastique! (Pleasure, elastic phantom!)?

Volupte, Fantome Elastique! (Pleasure, elastic phantom!) is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Volupte, Fantome Elastique! (Pleasure, elastic phantom!)

Odilon Redon , 1890

Volupte, Fantome Elastique! (Pleasure, elastic phantom!) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Odilon Redon. It dates from 1890 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Odilon Redon’s lithograph Volupte, Fantome Elastique! was produced in 1890. The work presents a dimly lit interior where a barefoot woman holds a slender, wand‑like object, while a seated figure leans forward to observe her. Plain walls and heavy drapery frame the scene, creating a soft, uneven illumination that emphasizes the figures’ quiet interaction.

Subject & Meaning

The composition juxtaposes a standing, vulnerable woman with a seated onlooker, suggesting a moment of private contemplation or subtle tension. The title’s reference to “pleasure” and an “elastic phantom” hints at an intangible, perhaps fleeting, sensation that the figures seem to embody, inviting viewers to consider the interplay of presence and absence.

Technique & Style

Redon employed the lithographic process, drawing directly onto a stone or metal plate with greasy media. The image is rendered in rapid, sketch‑like lines that convey movement and atmosphere rather than precise detail, reflecting the late‑nineteenth‑century interest in capturing transient impressions and emotional states through a more spontaneous visual language.

History & Provenance

Created during Redon’s mature period, the print reflects his shift from monochrome charcoal works to more experimental, color‑rich prints. While specific ownership records for this particular lithograph are limited, it forms part of the broader body of Redon’s printmaking that was widely circulated among collectors and exhibited in Parisian salons of the 1890s.

Context

The late 1800s saw artists exploring new print techniques to convey immediacy and psychological depth. Redon’s work aligns with Symbolist concerns for the unseen and the ethereal, while his use of lithography places him among contemporaries who sought to merge fine art with reproducible media, expanding the reach of avant‑garde ideas.