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
90298
Medium
Charcoal, black chalk and black pastel with stumping and erasing, on pale pink wove paper with red and blue fibers, discolored to pinkish-tan
Dimensions
50.8 × 37.8 cm (20 × 14 15/16 in.)
Classification
charcoal
Credit Line
David Adler Collection
Background & Context
Background Story
Odilon Redon's Cell is a charcoal, black chalk, and black pastel drawing with stumping and erasing on pale pink wove paper. The title Cell suggests a biological or prison cell, the ambiguous form creating a sense of confinement or the fundamental unit of life. The pink paper gives the drawing a warm undertone.
Cultural Impact
Redon's ambiguous imagery often combines biological and architectural references, creating a sense of mystery.
Why It Matters
This drawing of a cell creates an ambiguous space between biology and architecture.
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Cover-Frontispiece for the Temptation of St. Anthony
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