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Lot Essay
Exécuté en 1881,Le Cauchemar est un parfait exemple de la création énigmatique d'Odilon Redon. Largement incompris de ses contemporains, l'artiste est ensuite adulé par les Nabis, les fauves et les surréalistes. Cette oeuvre fait partie des plus mystérieux fusains, dits 'Noirs', produits à partir de 1870. De manière évidente, Le Cauchemar illustre la quête d'incohérence spatiale et d'instabilité de Redon. Emile Hennequin, écrivain et ami de Redon, en fera une description dans la Revue littéraire et artistique (4 mars 1882) et le mettra en résonance avec une strophe du Ver conqurant d' Edgar Allan Poe. Enfin, la provenance prestigieuse du Cauchemar, passé successivement dans les collections Ren Philippon et Gustave Fayet, et le fait qu'Odilon Redon ait souhaité le racheter pour sa propre collection, sont autant de preuves de l'importance de cette oeuvre dans la production de l'artiste.
Executed in 1881,Le Cauchemar is a notable example of Odilon Redon's uniquely enigmatic vision. Largely misunderstood by his contemporaries, Redon would later be the subject of adulation by artists of the Nabis, fauve and surrealist movements. The present work forms part of the mysterious charcoals known as his 'Noirs' which he produced from 1870. Through its powerful graphic overtones, Le Cauchemar illustrates the artist's quest to represent indeterminate space and engender a sense of uncertainty. Emile Hennequin, the critic and friend of Redon's, described the work in his text for the Revue littraire et artistique (March 4th, 1882) and drew the association with Edgar Allan Poe's 'The conquerer worm'. Having formed part of the collections of Ren Philippon and Gustave Fayet, the impressive provenance listing for Le Cauchemar is further enhanced by the fact that the artist himself reacquired the work for his own collection, underscoring its importance within the artist's oeuvre.
Executed in 1881,Le Cauchemar is a notable example of Odilon Redon's uniquely enigmatic vision. Largely misunderstood by his contemporaries, Redon would later be the subject of adulation by artists of the Nabis, fauve and surrealist movements. The present work forms part of the mysterious charcoals known as his 'Noirs' which he produced from 1870. Through its powerful graphic overtones, Le Cauchemar illustrates the artist's quest to represent indeterminate space and engender a sense of uncertainty. Emile Hennequin, the critic and friend of Redon's, described the work in his text for the Revue littraire et artistique (March 4th, 1882) and drew the association with Edgar Allan Poe's 'The conquerer worm'. Having formed part of the collections of Ren Philippon and Gustave Fayet, the impressive provenance listing for Le Cauchemar is further enhanced by the fact that the artist himself reacquired the work for his own collection, underscoring its importance within the artist's oeuvre.