Odilon Redon

Sale: Hôtel Drouot, Paris, 12th May 1939, lot 35
Private Collection, Paris (probably acquired at the above sale)
By descent from the above to the present owner

Paris, Galerie Bernheim-Jeune, Odilon Redon, 1840-1916, 1963, no. 35 (titled Vase de fleurs)

Alec Wildenstein, Odilon Redon, Catalogue raisonné de l'œuvre peint et dessiné, Paris, 1996, vol. III, no. 1426, illustrated p. 60

Executed on buff-coloured wove paper, not laid down, attached to a board along all four edges. This work is in good original condition. Colours: The paper tone is much brighter and the colours are overall much more vibrant and fresher in the original than in the catalogue illustration.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The subject of the floral still-life interested Redon throughout his career, but it was not until an exhibition at Galerie Durand-Ruel in the spring of 1906 that this theme began to dominate his work. As Richard Hobbs explained 'These fragile scented beings, admirable prodigies of light', as he later described them, 'were providing him with a motif through which to develop the joyful and spiritual transformation of natural forms that is characteristic of so many of his colour works... He associated flowers with a delicate but fundamental kind of artistic expression...Flowers were becoming a theme of primary importance to Redon, both as motifs for experimentation with colours and as the expression of a personal lyricism' (Richard Hobbs, Odilon Redon, London, 1977, p. 139).

Petit bouquet tricolore reflects Redon's ability to create lively compositions using contrasting colours and forms. Each element is defined in relation to the next, revealing a complex organization which captivates the eye. By juxtaposing the dazzling colours of the flowers and the terracotta vase with a simple background, Redon magnifies the visual impact of his composition, a technique inspired by Japanese prints and screens, which became highly fashionable in Europe in the Nineteenth Century.