Angel Executions 1890

Odilon Redon’s unsettling image, Angel Executions, made without a specified date, delves into the complex interplay between the sacred and the profane. Redon, working during a time of immense social change and questioning of traditional values, infuses his work with an atmosphere of existential uncertainty. Here, the angel, a figure traditionally associated with divine intervention and purity, is recast as an executioner, holding a severed head on a platter. This subversion reflects the socio-political tensions of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, in which inherited structures of power were being challenged. Redon once said, ‘My drawings inspire, and are not to be defined.’ This work exemplifies his intent to explore the ambiguous and subjective nature of experience. The stark contrast between the angel’s androgynous beauty and the gruesome reality of the decapitated head evokes a sense of dissonance, challenging viewers to confront the darker aspects of human nature and the erosion of innocence. This piece invites us to consider how power can corrupt even the most idealized figures, leaving us to question our own moral compass.