Odilon Redon

'The Temptation of Saint Anthony'. 'Ensuite, paraît un être singulier, ayant une tête d'homme sur un corps de poisson' (Plate V)

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About this artwork

This print is from a series inspired by Gustave Flaubert’s prose-poem ‘La Tentation de Saint Antoine’. These prints are not pure illustration but rather serve as interpretations of the story. Dream-imagery was central to many of Redon’s drawings and prints at this time, and his works are often peopled with fantastic hybrid creatures and present strange combinations of subjects. This print shows a strange, almost amoebic, creature with the head of a man and the body of a fish. It reveals Redon’s fascination with the French chemist, Louis Pasteur and developments in micro-biology. In a single drop of water "there arises the spectacle of giants of a gripping horror and a frightful, predatory nature".

Updated before 2020

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Odilon Redon

Odilon Redon