Le Buddha (The Buddha), 1895
Odilon Redonexpand_more
Lithograph on chine appliquéexpand_more
Gift of Ruth and Bruce Daytonexpand_more 2007.52.2
Not on Viewexpand_more
Growing up on his father's isolated estate in Bordeaux, France, Odilon Redon said he "sought out the shadows." While other artists were busy with oil color, Redon expressed his fantastical imaginings in black and white lithographs because they allowed him the moody, luminous look of charcoal. A gift of Gustave Flaubert's Temptation of Saint Anthony (1874) proved a goldmine for Redon. It inspired three series of lithographs and this print, which shows a shadowy figure enveloping what could be a black sun pushing out the day. Redon's goal was to suggest, not illustrate, a text's meaning. The printed verse comes from Flaubert's Buddha: "They led me into the schools / I knew more than the professors."
Details
- Title
- Le Buddha (The Buddha)
- Artist Life
- 1840–1916
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2007.52.2
- Provenance
- [Thomas French Fine Art, Fairlawn, Ohio]
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Mellerio 132; Stein & Karshan 64
- Curator Approved
This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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