Provenance
John H. Winterbotham, Chicago, by 1928 [Chicago 1928]; given by Theodora Winterbotham Brown and Rue Winterbotham Shaw to the Art Institute, 1973.
Accession Number
45408
Medium
Pastel, with various charcoals and touches of black chalk, stumping and erasing, on pale-pink wove paper with red fibers altered to a golden tone, laid down on cardboard
Dimensions
51.5 × 37.2 cm (20 5/16 × 14 11/16 in.)
Classification
pastel
Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. Theodora W. Brown and Mrs. Rue W. Shaw in memory of Anne R. Winterbotham
Background & Context
Background Story
Odilon Redon's The Beacon (1883, reworked c. 1893) is a pastel with charcoals on pale-pink wove paper. This work combines the charcoal technique of Redon's noirs with the color of his later pastels. The beacon, a source of light in darkness, was a symbol of hope.
Cultural Impact
This work shows Redon at the transition point between his dark period and his luminous late style.
Why It Matters
The beacon as a source of light combines charcoal and pastel in Redon's transitional work.
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