Flowers in a Pot 1900

Odilon Redon made this still life of flowers in a pot with pastel on paper. The piece offers a glimpse into the artist's engagement with the Symbolist movement in France. Symbolism rejected the dominant values of materialism and rationalism prevalent in Western culture at the end of the nineteenth century, searching for deeper spiritual meaning. Redon sets common flowers inside a simple earthenware pot. The flowers' delicate colors contrast with the pot's humble, earthy tones. His choice of everyday objects underscores a broader theme within Symbolism: finding profound meaning within the mundane. The flowers are not arranged to mimic a realistic depiction, but more to evoke a feeling or mood. Redon was concerned with the power of art to connect viewers with a realm beyond the visible world. By studying Redon’s work, along with Symbolist poetry and critical texts, we gain insight into the era’s desire to challenge the established norms of art and society.