Sleep

Art Historical Context

Odilon Redon's *Sleep* (1898) is a delicate lithograph on Imperial Japan paper, capturing Symbolist master's fascination with dreams and the ethereal. Printed in subtle grayscale tones, the small image (just under 5 inches square) depicts a serene female figure in repose, evoking introspection and the subconscious—a hallmark of Redon's work during the fin-de-siècle era. As a leader in Symbolism, Redon moved beyond realism to explore fantasy and spirituality, often through prints like this one, which he called his "noirs" for their moody, charcoal-like effects. Lithography suited Redon's technique perfectly, allowing greasy crayon marks to translate into velvety blacks and soft gradations on the luxurious, thin Imperial Japan paper, prized for its absorbency and texture. This medium democratized his visionary art, making it accessible beyond oil paintings. Produced amid Paris's vibrant print revival, *Sleep* reflects cultural obsessions with reverie and femininity in late 19th-century Europe. Acquired through the Harris Brisbane Dick Fund in 1928, this print now graces the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department. Visitors are drawn to its quiet intimacy, a window into Redon's belief that art should stir the soul's mysteries.

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...