Verzoeking van de Heilige Antonius

About this artwork

height 443 mm x width 302 mm

Art Historical Context

Odilon Redon's *Verzoeking van de Heilige Antonius* (Temptation of Saint Anthony), created in 1888, is a haunting lithograph from the French Symbolist's seminal series *Dans le rêve* (In the Dream). At a intimate scale of 198 mm high by 140 mm wide, this work captures the mystical torment of the desert hermit Saint Anthony, a subject drawn from Flaubert's 1874 novel, which inspired Redon's fantastical visions. Redon, a pioneer of Symbolism, transformed Catholic lore into a realm of subconscious reverie, blending the grotesque with the ethereal to explore human frailty and spiritual ecstasy. Masterfully executed in lithography—a medium Redon perfected for its velvety blacks and subtle gradations—this print evokes a nocturnal dreamscape. Ghostly figures emerge from shadowy voids, their forms dissolving into mist, embodying Redon's "noirs" period before his shift to luminous pastels and oils. The technique's precision allowed for atmospheric depth on a small sheet, contrasting with larger presentation formats (such as 443 mm x 302 mm noted in some records), making it ideal for private contemplation. This artwork holds cultural significance as part of Redon's 1888-1890 series, which influenced later Surrealists like Max Ernst. It invites visitors to ponder the thin veil between reality and hallucination, a timeless theme in art history that resonates in our own era of psychological exploration.

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...