Description
Odilon Redon used parallel lines of varying density throughout this etching to enhance its tonal and emotional darkness. The subject was inspired by Johann Wolfgang Goethe's 1782 poem describing a father who discovered his child's death after a cold and windy nighttime journey. The figures and the man's white cape contrast dramatically with the scale and tone of their surroundings. Redon made few etchings during his career. This one was a gift to his friend, French art critic and novelist Joris-Karl Huysmans, and features a personalized dedication at the bottom of the sheet.
Provenance
H. M. Petiet [1894-1980; L. 5031], Paris (?-1997); (Hotel Drouot, Estampes modernes Henri M. Petiet, 13th sale, Paris, September 25, 1997, no. 157) (1997); (Ian Mackenzie Fine Art, London, sold to the Print Club of Cleveland, Cleveland, OH) (?-1997); The Print Club of Cleveland, Cleveland, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1997); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1997-)
Accession Number
1998.69
Medium
etching
Dimensions
Image: 11 x 20 cm (4 5/16 x 7 7/8 in.); Platemark: 14 x 22.3 cm (5 1/2 x 8 3/4 in.); Sheet: 27.4 x 35.1 cm (10 13/16 x 13 13/16 in.)
Classification
Credit Line
Gift of The Print Club of Cleveland
