Odilon Redon’s Beatrice (1885)

“French Symbolist artist Odilon Redon created Beatrice in 1885 as a color lithograph on chine collé. The artwork depicts Beatrice, a prominent figure in Dante’s Divina Commedia, who guides the poet through paradise. This subject was a recurring motif for Redon, who frequently depicted her in his art.

“Redon’s art was heavily influenced by nature and flirted with abstraction, which can be seen in Beatrice. The colors and forms used create an otherworldly, dreamlike atmosphere that reflects the mystical quality of Dante’s work. Redon began his career working in charcoal and lithography before transitioning to pastels and oils in the 1890s, which allowed for greater experimentation with color.”    — “Beatrice (1885) by Odilon Redon,” Artchive, 1885