“Roger and Angelica” is an artwork by Odilon Redon, dating from circa 1910. The medium used is pastel on paper. It belongs to the Symbolism movement, a genre that seeks to represent ideas and emotions through symbolic imagery. The artwork falls within the literary painting genre, as it is inspired by or connected to literary narratives. Currently, it is housed within a private collection.
The artwork itself is dominated by a dreamlike, mystical atmosphere that is characteristic of Redon’s symbolism. The scene is infused with a sense of ethereal and enigmatic quality, featuring vibrant hues and a soft, almost misty application of pastel that blends colors and forms together. The central figures are rendered with a sense of fluidity, and their interaction seems to be set against an abstract, indistinct background that fades into the deep blue sky. The winged being, presumably Angelica, is depicted with a dynamic energy, while Roger might be the figure beneath her, portrayed in a moment of emotional intensity or distress. The fantastical elements, like the wings, hint at a narrative pulled from myth or legend, encouraging the viewer to delve into the allegorical and the transcendent. The artwork embodies an otherworldly tableau, inviting contemplation on the interplay between the human and the divine, or the real and the imagined.
