Aged Angel 1903

Editor: So here we have "Aged Angel," created in 1903 by Odilon Redon, using pastel. It feels melancholic. The figure has these enormous wings but looks… burdened? What do you make of it? Curator: Redon existed within a Symbolist movement grappling with societal anxieties about industrialization and modernity. Angels, previously symbols of hope, become weighed down here, reflecting a broader cultural disillusionment. Do you think this 'aged' quality is merely aesthetic? Editor: I don’t think so, I think there is also a sort of reflection about passing time and legacy... I wonder, given the religious connotations of angels, if this challenges traditional institutions? Curator: Precisely. Consider how the fin-de-siècle era saw increasing secularism. Redon, along with other artists, began reimagining religious iconography through a personal, subjective lens. This challenges the established narratives perpetuated by the church. He perhaps offers a meditation on faith's struggle to remain relevant in a rapidly changing world. Notice how the pastel medium also lends itself to a certain… fragility? Editor: Yes! And that contrasts so starkly with the grand wings and muscular physique of the angel. Curator: Indeed. Redon was often shown in private galleries, supported by wealthy patrons interested in challenging academic artistic norms. "Aged Angel," through its medium and imagery, spoke to a niche audience eager to question authority and tradition. Do you think that context shifts how we view it today? Editor: Absolutely. Knowing the environment in which this piece was displayed encourages me to reflect upon our existing cultural norms. Curator: It allows us to reconsider not just religious beliefs, but our values generally, I think. I hadn’t thought of that at first glance. Thanks!