Upon Awakening I Saw the Goddess of the Intelligible with Her Severe and Hard Profile (1885)

Featured prominently on our website this month is a striking lithograph by the French Symbolist artist Odilon Redon. The artwork, "Upon Awakening I Saw the Goddess of the Intelligible with Her Severe and Hard Profile,” created in 1885, offers a glimpse into Redon's deep exploration of mystical and otherworldly themes.This captivating piece depicts the profile of a young female, portrayed with exquisite detail that captures the subtle nuances of her expression and the soft contour of her features. Redon's mastery in lithography is evident in the texture and depth he achieves, using varied intensities of black to create both shadow and light, which seem to radiate from the figure herself. The title suggests a narrative of revelation or epiphany, where the 'Goddess of the Intelligible' epitomizes a moment of profound insight or intellectual awakening.Characteristically for Redon, who often ventured beyond the visible world into realms of the psyche and the spiritual, this work invites viewers to ponder the nature of understanding and perception. The goddess's severe and hard profile alludes to the rigorous, often stark nature of truth and knowledge.This artwork is not just an emblem of Redon’s Symbolist roots but is also a timeless invitation to explore the deeper, often overlooked realms of human experience.