Ophelia 1906

"Ophelia" (1906) by Odilon Redon is a captivating pastel work that embodies the artist's signature style of Symbolism. While Redon often explored themes of dreams and the subconscious, this piece references the tragic tale of Ophelia from Shakespeare's Hamlet. Ophelia's drowning is evoked through the ethereal, abstract, and dreamlike depiction of her figure submerged in a fantastical sea of pastel-colored flowers and foliage. The use of delicate, muted colors and hazy forms contributes to the sense of mystery and melancholic beauty that permeates the work.