Silence 1911

Odilon Redon, sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century, put brush to canvas to create this painting called Silence. It’s a pastel dream of muted tones, ochre and rose, offset by a cool green. I can imagine Redon, mixing his paints, trying to find that perfect shade of melancholic yellow. What was he thinking as he painted those eyes, downcast, lost in thought? Was he capturing a moment of quiet introspection, or perhaps the weight of unspoken words? That soft pink outline around the figure, it’s like a gentle caress, or a barrier, keeping her separate from the world. The way the colors bleed into one another, it reminds me of other symbolist painters, like Moreau, who were all trying to capture the invisible world, the world of dreams and emotions. Painting isn’t about answers, it’s about asking questions, and letting the silence speak. We are all in conversation with one another across time, so let's appreciate the beauty in ambiguity, the power of suggestion, and the endless possibilities of interpretation.