Salome (c.1893) by Odilon Redon

Salome - Odilon Redon - c.1893

Artwork Information

TitleSalome
ArtistOdilon Redon
Datec.1893
Mediumpastel,paper
Art MovementSymbolism

About Salome

The artwork titled “Salome” is a creation by Odilon Redon, dating back to around 1893. Executed in pastel on paper, this piece is a fine example of Redon’s involvement with the Symbolism movement, an art movement that sought to express ideas and emotions through esoteric and often mystical imagery, rather than represent the observable world directly. The genre of this particular artwork is classified as a religious painting, which is a reflection of the biblical narrative it portrays.

In the artwork, the spectral figure of Salome stands enveloped in rich, dark colors that imbue the scene with a sense of mystery and foreboding. Her figure is draped in deep blue and white garments that give her a ghostly presence against the murky, greenish background. Her face is either in shadow or veiled, which adds to the enigmatic quality of the piece. Beside Salome, there seem to be one or more shadowy figures cloaked in contrasting colors of dark blue and amber, perhaps attendants or witnesses to the grim event Salome is associated with.

The use of pastels allows for a softness of line and a texture that lends the artwork an ethereal quality, apropos for the Symbolist goal to allude to the more intangible realms of spirituality and the psyche. Redon’s handling of color and light further distances the subject from realism, evoking emotions and thoughts related to the character’s story without an overt narrative explanation. The head at Salome’s feet, largely obscured by shadow, likely represents the climax of her story, where she receives the severed head of John the Baptist, a moment that has been a frequent subject in the history of art due to its dramatic and tragic nature. Redon’s interpretation is less about the gore and more about the emotional and symbolic resonances of the event.

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