Vase with Japanese Warrior 1905

Curator: Editor: Here we have Odilon Redon’s "Vase with Japanese Warrior" from 1905, made using mixed media and gouache. It strikes me as such a unique piece, not quite a still life but also playing with orientalist themes. What jumps out at you when you look at this artwork? Curator: Well, immediately, I'm drawn to the vase itself, the literal vessel. Consider the production: was it a mass-produced object or something crafted individually? How does the act of painting a Japanese warrior onto it transform its meaning and value, both culturally and economically? The blurring of high art with what could be seen as 'mere' decoration challenges traditional hierarchies. What kind of labor was involved at each step? Editor: That's interesting. I never thought about it like that. I was so focused on the aesthetics, I missed the significance of the vase as an object and how the artist alters its reception. So you're saying, it's less about the flowers and more about... Curator: It's not necessarily *less* about the flowers, but consider them in relation to the entire composition. Are they 'high art' subjects contrasted against the supposedly lower 'craft' of the vase? Are the materials luxurious or commonplace? The context of Redon's production, the accessibility, how these objects might have been consumed, tells us a great deal about societal values and artistic boundaries at the time. The Orientalism is a filter for the materials being used, in effect. How does that change our perception of Redon's place in art history? Editor: Wow, you’ve given me so much to think about. I will start to consider artworks less for the story they’re showing, and more as commodities with historical fingerprints all over them. Thank you! Curator: Remember, it is *always* about both, in that the material means of production enables and even dictates what stories we can tell and consume. I hope it adds more layers to your viewing experience.