A Veil, a Printed Image

Art Historical Context

**A Veil, a Printed Image** (1891) is a captivating lithograph by French Symbolist artist Odilonon, in collaboration with botanist and friend Armand Clavaud Measuring a modest 7 3/8 x 5 1/4 inches on a larger sheet, this print from the Metropolitan Museum of Art Drawings and Prints department evokes mystery through its intimate scale and evocative title. Acquired via the Rogers Fund in 1920, it Redon's mastery of monochrome lithography during the 1890s, a period when he transitioned from fantastical "Noirs" to more luminous visions. Redon, a pioneer of Symbolism, often drew inspiration from dreams, science, and the subconscious, blending precise drawing with poetic ambiguity. His friendship with Clavaud, who taught him botanical illustration, infused works like this with subtle scientific precision amid imaginative reverie. Lithography allowed Redon to achieve velvety textures and subtle gradations, perfect for rendering veiled faces and portrait-like forms—hallmarks tagged here as "Faces|Portraits." This piece invites viewers to ponder the boundary between reality and illusion, the veil perhaps symbolizing hidden truths or the printed image's deceptive allure. In fin-de-siècle France, amid rising interest in psychology and the unseen, Redon's prints like this one bridged art and science, offering timeless intrigue for museum-goers.

About the Artist

Odilon Redon|Armand Clavaud · 1840–1916

Odilon Redon (1840-1916) was a French Symbolist painter, printmaker, and pastellist whose visionary art bridged the 19th-century Symbolist movement and 20th-century Surrealism. Born Bertrand Redon in Bordeaux on April 20, 1840, he earned the nickname "Odilon" from his mother Odile. His father, who made his fortune in the Louisiana slave trade, conceived Odilon in New Orleans before the family retu...