Cover from The Temptation of Saint Anthony (1st series)

Art Historical Context

Odilon Redon's *Cover from The Temptation Saint Anthony (1st)*, created in 1888, the French Symbolist's fascination with the mystical and macabre. This lithograph from Gustave Flaubert's 1874 novel of the same name, which vividly depicts the desert hermit Saint Anthony besieged by demonic visions and temptations. Redon, a pioneer of Symbolism, produced several series of prints inspired by the book during his "Noirs" period (the 1870s–1890s), using black monochrome to evoke dreamlike reveries and the subconscious—hallmarks of the movement that bridged Impressionism and Surrealism. Printed in black ink on white wove paper, the modest image measures just 19.7 × 14 cm, yet its intricate lithography showcases Redon's mastery of the medium. Lithography allowed him to achieve soft gradations, ethereal textures, and shadowy depths unattainable in painting, making prints an ideal vehicle for his fantastical imagery. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Prints and Drawings department, this cover exemplifies how Redon transformed literary hallucination into visual poetry, influencing later artists like Max Ernst. A gem for visitors, it invites contemplation of the thin veil between reality and imagination, reminding us of art's power to conjure inner worlds.

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...