I Plunged into Solitude. I Dwelt in the Tree behind Me, plate 9 of 24

Art Historical Context

Odilon Redon's *I Plunged intoitude. I Dwelt the Tree behind Me* (1896), plate 9 from a series of 24 lithographs as *Les Origines invites viewers into the dreamlike realm of French Symbolism. Redon, a master of the fantastical and the subconscious, created this work during his celebrated "Noirs" period, where monochromatic visions evoked mystery, isolation, and inner turmoil. The poetic title, drawn from literary inspirations, suggests a figure merging with nature—perhaps a symbolic retreat into solitude amid a shadowy tree—reflecting fin-siècle anxieties about modernity and the soul's hidden depths. Printed in black ink on delicate light gray China paper laid down on ivory wove paper, this lithograph showcases Redon's virtuoso technique. Lithography allowed him to achieve soft, velvety textures akin to charcoal drawings, blending precise lines with atmospheric sfumato for an ethereal glow. Measuring about 30 × 22.7 cm, the intimate scale draws visitors close, enhancing its meditative pull. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Prints and Drawings department, it exemplifies how Redon's prints democratized Symbolist art, bridging elite painting with accessible multiples. This piece captures Symbolism's cultural shift toward the irrational and spiritual, influencing later Surrealists. Imagine losing yourself in its hazy forms—a perfect emblem of Redon's genius for turning reverie into visual poetry.

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...