White Vase with Flowers 1916

Odilon Redon made this dreamy painting of a vase of flowers at some point in his life. The colours are so bright and bold. I imagine Redon, with his brush loaded with pigment, dabbing and swirling to create a riot of hues. It’s like he’s conjuring them from thin air. I wonder if he knew what each would be when he started? Maybe they emerged slowly, finding their own place in the composition through layer upon layer. The pink background seems to glow and the yellows, blues, and reds of the flowers practically pop out. See how each stroke of the brush feels like a tiny decision, a little adventure into the unknown? When I look at this, I’m reminded of other painters who use flowers to explore colour and form, like Van Gogh or Emil Nolde. There’s a kind of conversation happening between artists across time, each one inspired by what came before. The more you look at this painting, the more it seems like a portal to a world where anything is possible.