Paysage Italien 

Odilon Redon likely made this landscape painting with oils on canvas, a traditional artistic process dating back centuries. What strikes me is how Redon uses paint in a way that seems almost anti-traditional. Notice how he doesn't blend the colors smoothly. Instead, he lets the strokes of the brush remain visible, creating a rough, textured surface. It’s this very application of color that imbues the work with its emotional intensity, capturing a dreamlike quality. Redon was working at a time of immense industrial growth in Europe, and I would suggest his technique rejects the slickness of mass-produced items. He seems more interested in something raw and unrefined, even if the subject is a classically beautiful landscape. By emphasizing the material qualities of the paint itself, Redon invites us to consider the very act of creation. This elevates the status of craft, pushing back against the detachment of industrial production.