And Another Angel Came Out of the Temple Which is in Heaven, and He Also Having a Sharp Sickle, plate 7 of 12
1899
Medium
Lithograph in black on cream China paper laid down on ivory wove paper
Dimensions
Image: 31.4 × 22.1 cm (12 3/8 × 8 3/4 in.); Chine: 31.7 × 22.4 cm (12 1/2 × 8 7/8 in.); Sheet: 45.1 × 34.6 cm (17 13/16 × 13 5/8 in.)
Classification
lithograph
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
79746
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
Odilon Redon's *And Another Angel Came Out of the Temple Which is in Heaven, and He Also Having a Sharp Sickle* (plate 7 of 12), created in 1899, draws directly from the Book of Revelation in the Bible, evoking the apocalyptic drama of divine judgment. As a leading Symbolist artist, Redon transformed biblical visions into ethereal, dreamlike scenes, blending mysticism with subtle psychological depth. This lithograph belongs to a rare series of 12 prints inspired by Saint John's prophecies, reflecting fin-de-siècle fascination with the spiritual and the otherworldly amid Europe's cultural shifts toward introspection and the subconscious. Rendered in black ink on delicate cream China paper laid down on ivory wove paper, the work showcases Redon's mastery of lithography—a planar printing technique he perfected in his earlier "noirs" period. This medium allowed for velvety textures and sfumato-like gradations, mimicking charcoal drawings while enabling subtle tonal shifts that heighten the angel's spectral presence. The intimate dimensions (image: 31.4 × 22.1 cm) invite close contemplation, emphasizing symbolic motifs like the sharp sickle as harbingers of harvest and reckoning. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Prints and Drawings Department, this piece highlights Redon's evolution from monochromatic visions to later colorful pastels, bridging his iconic shadowy reveries with profound spiritual themes. A captivating glimpse into Symbolism's poetic power.
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...