Une longue chrysalide couleur de sang (A longchrysalis, the color of blood)

Art Historical Context

Odilon Redon's *Une longue chrysal couleur de sang* (A Long Chrysalis, the Color of Blood), created in 1889, is a haunting lithograph from the artist's pivotal "Noirs" period. Redon, a leading French Symbolist, masterfully used this printmaking technique—drawing with greasy crayon on limestone to produce subtle gradations of tone—to evoke dreamlike visions that blur the line between reality and the subconscious. The title hints at a elongated, blood-red chrysalis, symbolizing metamorphosis, mystery, and perhaps the eerie beauty of transformation amid life's darker forces. Symbolism, Redon's movement of the late 19th century, rebelled against Impressionism's surface pleasures, delving instead into the realms of fantasy, emotion, and the occult. This work exemplifies his fascination with hybrid forms and macabre imagery, often inspired by literature and science, inviting viewers to ponder themes of birth, decay, and the unseen. Printed in small editions, Redon's lithographs like this one democratized his ethereal art, making it accessible beyond oil paintings. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's Rosenwald Collection, this print showcases Redon's technical virtuosity in achieving velvety blacks and delicate textures. A must-see for those exploring Symbolism's psychological depths, it reminds us how art can capture the ineffable stirrings of the soul.

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...