White Pegasus 1908

Odilon Redon created this oil painting, White Pegasus, at an unknown date. You see how Redon lets the white of Pegasus bleed into the blue sky and the brown mountain? It’s like he’s discovering the image as he paints, rather than dictating what should appear. The rough brushstrokes give the surface a kind of raw energy. I’m drawn to the way the green at the foot of the mountain is applied. It’s almost like moss, or some other kind of organic growth. Redon doesn’t smooth the surface, he lets the paint sit on top, creating its own texture. Redon reminds me of someone like Guston, who wasn’t afraid of bringing a childlike innocence to his mark making. Ultimately, a painting like this reminds us that art is not about answers, but about inviting questions and inspiring new forms of seeing.