Redon Profile and flowers, 1912 Pastel on paper, 70.2 x 55. Odilon Redon (1840-1916)

The pastel drawing presents a figure in profile against a backdrop of dense floral arrangement and muted atmospheric tones. A woman is depicted, her face rendered in silhouette, emphasizing the contours of her nose and chin. She wears a head covering, seemingly a veil or scarf, executed in delicate shades of blue and white that contrast with the darker hues surrounding her. The garment appears to be high-necked, adding to an overall sense of formality and perhaps restraint.
The floral grouping positioned adjacent to the figure is vibrant and complex. A variety of blooms – poppies, cornflowers, and others – are clustered together in a profusion of color. Their arrangement isnt naturalistic; instead, they appear almost as a dense, decorative screen. The colors are applied with a loose, expressive hand, creating a textural richness that contrasts with the smoother rendering of the figure’s profile.
The background is ambiguous and atmospheric. A hazy yellow glow emanates from behind the woman, suggesting an internal light source or perhaps a symbolic illumination. Darker tones – browns and purples – surround this area, contributing to a sense of depth and mystery. The overall effect is one of quiet contemplation rather than overt narrative.
Subtextually, the work seems to explore themes of identity and concealment. The profile view obscures direct engagement with the subject’s expression, suggesting an inward focus or perhaps a deliberate distancing. The veil reinforces this notion of hiddenness, hinting at layers of meaning beyond what is immediately visible. The juxtaposition of the figure and the flowers could be interpreted as a symbolic representation of nature versus culture, or perhaps beauty and fragility. The dense floral grouping might also represent abundance or even an overwhelming sensory experience.
The pastel medium lends itself to a soft, dreamlike quality, further enhancing the sense of introspection and ambiguity that permeates the drawing. The artist’s use of color and form creates a compelling visual tension between restraint and exuberance, concealment and revelation.