In the shadow of the wing, the black creature bit 1891

Curator: I find this lithograph profoundly unsettling, almost viscerally so. There's something about the monochromatic rendering of such a fantastical scene that intensifies its impact. Editor: Agreed. It's titled "In the shadow of the wing, the black creature bit" by Odilon Redon, created in 1891. Looking at it, I'm immediately drawn to the textural qualities. Redon has masterfully employed the lithographic crayon to create a range of effects, from the delicate hatching in the sky to the dense, velvety blacks of the winged figure. Curator: Exactly! The technical proficiency speaks volumes, but let's consider its original context. Redon worked within the Symbolist movement, challenging the artistic norms. Editor: And in terms of semiotics, the contrasting elements of dark and light further heighten the dramatic effect. We see this mysterious orb hovering on the horizon against the intense shadows enveloping the central figure and landscape. Curator: And that is critical for reading the symbolism in his work, where light often embodies truth or insight struggling against a shadow of societal repression and unconsciousness. The Symbolists valued inner experience, and it’s palpable in his art. Redon wasn’t merely depicting a fantastical being but externalizing something deeply psychological. Editor: One might also consider the composition formally. Note how the horizon line dissects the work; all creating tension between an ambiguous landscape and this striking, yet strange, figuration. Curator: Furthermore, it is essential to consider the artist's sociopolitical stance when viewing the artwork; this particular piece being an outcry to authority. Redon found societal structure repressive to his personal ethos. Editor: Overall, it's an incredibly rich lithograph. Considering both Redon’s visual language and the sociohistorical circumstances, the piece really offers viewers a dark, thought-provoking view into his mind. Curator: A poignant demonstration of an artist wrestling with shadows, internal and external.