Odilon Redon

Date of Birth: April 20, 1840

Zodiac Sign: Taurus

Date of Death: July 6, 1916

Biography

Odilon Redon was a French symbolist painter, printmaker, draughtsman, and pastellist, renowned for his unique, dream-like compositions that blend reality and imagination. Born Bertrand-Jean Redon on April 20, 1840, in Bordeaux, France, he displayed a talent for drawing from a young age. His early education was interrupted by an illness, which left him bedridden and further fueled his vivid imagination. Redon initially studied architecture but later shifted to painting and printmaking, studying under Jean-Léon Gérôme and Rodolphe Bresdin. Redon’s work is often characterized by its dark, fantastical themes and use of chiaroscuro, a technique focusing on the contrast between light and dark. His early career was dominated by black-and-white drawings and lithographs, collectively known as “noirs.” Later, he embraced color, producing vibrant pastels and oils that still held onto his symbolic and often otherworldly themes. Throughout his career, Redon was influenced by literature, music, and philosophy, drawing inspiration from the works of Edgar Allan Poe, Charles Baudelaire, and Richard Wagner. His work had a profound impact on the Surrealist movement and continues to be celebrated for its haunting beauty and emotional depth.

5 Interesting Facts about Odilon Redon

1. Odilon Redon’s real name was Bertrand-Jean Redon; “Odilon” was a nickname given to him by his mother.

2. Redon’s early career was mostly focused on black-and-white artwork, which he called his “noirs.”

3. He served in the Franco-Prussian War, which deeply influenced his later works.

4. Redon was a member of the Symbolist movement, which aimed to express mystical and metaphysical ideas through art.

5. His transition from dark monochromatic works to vibrant color pastels and oils marked a significant shift in his artistic journey.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Odilon Redon

1. “My drawings inspire and are not to be defined. They place us, as does music, in the ambiguous realm of the undetermined.”

2. “I have often, as an exercise and as a study, made compositions with flowers, seeking to render all their elegance and grace.”

3. “One must respect black. Nothing prostitutes it. It does not please the eye and it awakens no sensuality. It is an agent of the mind far more than the most beautiful color to the palette or prism.”

4. “The artist submits from day to day to the fatal and mysterious laws of his inspiration.”

5. “The idea is to bring to life, to free, the imaginary beings that haunt our dreams.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

There are no concrete records of Odilon Redon’s net worth at the time of his death. However, his works have gained significant value posthumously, with some pieces selling for millions of dollars at auctions.

Children

Odilon Redon had one child, a son named Arï Redon, born in 1889. Arï followed in his father’s footsteps and became a painter, though he did not achieve the same level of fame as his father.