The artwork titled “A Figure” was created by artist Odilon Redon circa 1905. It is a watercolor painting on paper that belongs to the Symbolism art movement. The artwork measures 39 x 52 cm and is categorized as a genre painting. It currently resides in a private collection.
“A Figure” by Odilon Redon features a side profile of a figure set against a lightly hued background. The figure’s face is rendered with delicate, sketch-like lines that give an impression of contemplation or introspection. The use of watercolors allows for a range of luminous colors to diffuse around the figure, including tones of red, yellow, and blue, which create a kind of halo effect around the head of the subject. The ethereal and soft blending of colors is typical of Redon’s work during the Symbolist period, where the emphasis often lies on portraying the emotional and mystical aspects rather than realistic depiction. The background and the figure seem to merge at certain points, suggesting a lack of clear separation between the subject and the surrounding environment, a characteristic that allows for multiple interpretations and resonates with the Symbolist interest in the ephemeral and the dream-like. The artwork is not just a representation of a figure but an exploration of mood and the unseen aspects of human experience.
