And He Had in His Right Hand Seven Stars; and Out of His Mouth Went a Sharp Two-Edged Sword, plate 1 of 12
1899
Medium
Lithograph in black on cream China paper laid down on ivory wove paper
Dimensions
Image/chine: 28.8 × 20.9 cm (11 3/8 × 8 1/4 in.); Sheet: 45.4 × 34.7 cm (17 7/8 × 13 11/16 in.)
Classification
lithograph
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
79734
Art Historical Context
Odilon Redon's *And He Had in His Hand Seven Stars; and of His Mouth Went a Sharp Two-Edged* (1899) is the first plate in a haunting series of 12 lith inspired by the Book of Revelation the Bible. This Symbolist masterpiece captures the apocalyptic vision of Christ as described in Revelation 116, where divine authority is symbolized by seven stars in his hand and a sword emerging from his mouth—evoking themes of judgment, mystery, and spiritual power. Created at the fin-de-siècle, when Europe grappled with modernity's shadows and a renewed fascination with mysticism, Redon's work reflects his ...
About the Artist
Odilon Redon · 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...