The Glance 

Odilon Redon created *The Glance* using pastels, a medium comprised of pure pigment ground into a binder and formed into sticks. Pastels are interesting because they sit between drawing and painting. They allow for a directness of application, where the artist builds up layers of color on the support, here, paper. You can see Redon’s hand in the strokes, how he’s layered blues and yellows to create luminosity. The texture of the pastel lends a soft, almost dreamlike quality, perfectly suited to Redon's Symbolist aesthetic. The appeal of pastels lies in their immediacy. Unlike oils, there's no drying time or need for complex mixing. This suited artists interested in capturing fleeting moments or impressions. The use of pastel also allowed for a certain level of intimacy with the work. The softness of the medium mirrors the sensitivity of the subject, inviting viewers into a quiet contemplation. Understanding the materials and methods helps us appreciate the full range of expression achieved in this work, blurring the lines between traditional artistic categories.