Il hausse le vase d'airain 1888

Odilon Redon made this lithograph called "Il hausse le vase d'airain" in the late 19th century. Redon was working in a rapidly changing France, experiencing the rise of industrialization and the intellectual ferment of Symbolism. The print depicts a scene with draped figures. One raises what seems to be a vase toward a source of light. The figures, rendered in shades of black and white, exist in a space between clarity and obscurity. Redon’s Symbolist leanings encouraged a shift from the material world towards one that explores the realm of dreams, emotions, and the subconscious. His use of light and shadow emphasizes the psychological weight of the image. The ambiguity of the scene—who are these figures, and what is the significance of the vase—invites contemplation on themes of revelation, mystery, and the search for meaning. Redon once said, "My drawings inspire, and are not to be defined. They determine nothing. They place us, as does music, in the ambiguous realm of the undetermined." This print encourages viewers to interpret their own narratives, reflecting the deeply personal and emotional dimensions of art.