Anemones and Poppies in a Vase 

Editor: Here we have "Anemones and Poppies in a Vase" by Odilon Redon. It appears to be an oil painting, perhaps with gouache. I'm struck by the almost ethereal quality of the flowers against the blurred background. What’s your take on this, considering Redon's historical and material context? Curator: The haziness that you noticed speaks to a significant shift in artistic production during Redon’s time. Consider the availability of manufactured paints, allowing for unprecedented color exploration and impasto. But beyond the ready access to oil paint, look at Redon embracing his own, unique process: a blend of painting, and almost a kind of photographic image making! What labor and techniques might this combination imply, and what boundaries is Redon blurring? Editor: That's fascinating! The combination of media makes it almost seem like he's elevating what would be considered the “everyday" with new technical possibilities. The floral still-life was a popular, decorative choice, but using photography and experimental application, Redon is perhaps pushing this genre out of its traditionally "lower" place. Would that be correct? Curator: Precisely! Think of Redon, through his careful layering and textural approach, pushing beyond mere representation. The "photographic" haziness suggests a deliberate softening of reality. He seems to be less interested in portraying literal bouquets, than invoking the sensation they incite. Look how his processes engage our attention. Is it about skilled labor, in that traditional sense, or something else? What’s being consumed here? Editor: Hmmm, well he’s selling, or exhibiting, and his artistic style as part of it, his brand and artistic talent are on display... So we consume an idea, maybe a concept, an experience...? Curator: Indeed! We’ve explored how Redon transforms traditional art, but we’ve also seen his reliance on labor and artistic processing in a social environment to convey mood, memory, sensation... all from something as common as poppies in a vase. Editor: This gives me a new appreciation for the layers of meaning that process and materials can reveal! Thank you.