Perversite 1891

Odilon Redon created ‘Perversite’ using lithography, a printmaking technique, to produce rich blacks that define the sombre mood of this work. The composition centres on a female bust rendered in contrasting light and shadow. Redon creates a dynamic interplay between the defined form of the woman’s head and the surrounding nebulous darkness. Her neck extends from a flat surface and inclines her head downwards, establishing a melancholic tone that pervades the scene. This work embodies the Symbolist interest in exploring the inner states of the human psyche. The semiotic structure of Redon's work destabilizes traditional representations by focusing on subjective experience, the irrational, and the power of suggestion. Note how the artist’s choice to contrast light and shadow can be understood as an expression of the subconscious. It mirrors the cultural and philosophical movement to move beyond empiricism to embrace the enigmatic aspects of human perception and existence.