Still life 

Odilon Redon painted this still life with oil on canvas sometime between 1860 and 1916. Redon's work emerged in France during a period of immense social and artistic transformation. The late 19th century saw the rise of industrialization, urbanization, and new scientific discoveries that challenged traditional beliefs. These shifts were reflected in the art world, as artists began to experiment with new styles and subjects beyond academic painting. Redon's still life, with its soft colors and dreamlike quality, departs from traditional realism. Redon was associated with the Symbolist movement, which sought to express subjective emotions and spiritual experiences through art. Redon's still life can be seen as a rejection of the materialist values of the industrial age, and an embrace of the inner world of imagination and feeling. To fully appreciate the social context of this artwork, we can consult letters, diaries, and exhibition reviews from the period. Art history reminds us that art is not created in a vacuum, but is always shaped by the social and cultural forces of its time.