Et le lia pour mille ans (And bound him a thousand years)

Art Historical Context

Odilon Redon's *Et le lia pour mille (And bound him a years)*, created in 1899, draws its evocative title from the Book of Revelation in the Bible alluding to the apocalyptic binding of Satan for a. As a leading Symbolist artist, Red mastered the use of prints to conjure dreamlike, otherworldly visions that blend mystery, spirituality, and the subconscious. This lithograph in black on chine coll—where delicate Chinese paper is adhered to a sturdy support for enhanced subtlety and texture—exemplifies his late-19th-century shift toward luminous, fantastical imagery after earlier charcoal "noirs." Printed in an intimate 30 x 21 cm format, the work captures Redon's innovative lithographic technique, allowing for velvety tones and intricate details that evoke introspection and the supernatural. Symbolism, Redon's core movement, prioritized emotion and suggestion over realism, influencing later Surrealists like Max Ernst. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's Rosenwald Collection, this piece highlights the era's fascination with mysticism amid fin-de-siècle anxieties, inviting viewers to ponder themes of restraint, eternity, and the divine unknown.

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...