Flowers in a Vase
Odilon Redon, c. 1910
About this artwork
Odilon Redon's *Flowers in a Vase* (c. 1910), an oil on canvas measuring 55.9 x 39.4 cm, the artist's late-career fascination with luminous floral still lifes. A leading French Symbolist, Redon transitioned from his monochromatic noirs—dreamlike visions in charcoal and lithography—to vibrant, colorful oils and pastels after 1900. This shift reflected his embrace of light and nature, influenced by the Impressionists while retaining a mystical, otherworldly quality that defined Symbolism. In this intimate composition, Redon arranges blooms in a simple vase, their petals glowing with soft, iridescent hues that blur the line between reality and reverie. The oil medium allows for his masterful layering of translucent glazes, creating a sense of ethereal depth and texture that invites contemplation. Painted near the end of his life, it exemplifies how Redon infused everyday subjects with poetic spirituality, evoking the fleeting beauty of life—a hallmark of fin-de-siècle art. Housed in the National Gallery of Art as part of the Ailsa Mellon Bruce Collection, this work showcases Redon's enduring influence on modern artists like Matisse and the Surrealists. Visitors are drawn to its serene elegance, a quiet meditation amid the gallery's grandeur.