Provenance
Ambroise Vollard (1867-1939), Paris [according to Wildenstein 1992]. Henri Petiet (1894-1980), Paris, by March 1940 [according to Wildenstein 1992]; sold to the Art Institute, 1950.
Accession Number
90293
Medium
Charcoal and black chalk with stumping, scraping and erasing, on cream wove paper, discolored to tan
Dimensions
52.9 × 37.4 cm (20 7/8 × 14 3/4 in.)
Classification
charcoal
Credit Line
David Adler Collection
Background & Context
Background Story
Odilon Redon's Wizard's Meditation is a charcoal and black chalk drawing with stumping, scraping, and erasing on cream wove paper. The subject of a wizard in meditation reflects Redon's interest in the occult and the mystical. The wizard appears as a solitary, contemplative figure, emerging from the darkness of the charcoal ground.
Cultural Impact
Redon's mystical subjects reflect the Symbolist fascination with the occult and the supernatural.
Why It Matters
This charcoal drawing of a wizard's meditation captures the atmosphere of occult contemplation.
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Cover-Frontispiece for the Temptation of St. Anthony
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