Gnome 1879

Odilon Redon created this print, titled *Gnome*, using lithography, a printmaking technique, sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. Redon was working in a period defined by rapid industrialization and social change, and he aligns himself with the Symbolist movement. We can see Symbolism's influence through his concentration on subjective experience, myth, and dream imagery. The gnome drifts above a seemingly desolate landscape, its dark figure embodying a sense of mystery and isolation. The image evokes a range of emotions, from wonder to unease. Redon's choice of black and white lithography adds to the dreamlike quality of the piece, highlighting contrasts and textures. His work defies traditional representations, inviting alternative narratives centered on personal experience and the subconscious. Redon once said, "My drawings inspire, and are not to be defined." This piece embodies that sentiment, reflecting societal anxieties through a deeply personal and emotional lens.