Pensées 

Editor: So here we have "Pensées" by Odilon Redon. It’s a pastel drawing and at first glance, I am struck by the bold color palette and how vibrant it is for a still life. What’s your take on it? Curator: It whispers to me of late summer afternoons, that melancholy blend of sunlight and approaching autumn. Redon wasn't just arranging flowers; he was capturing the feeling of transience. Notice the blue vase: it’s almost aggressively solid. Editor: Yes, the vase is certainly anchoring the flowers, especially against the neutral background. What is the relationship between the two? Curator: The vase, in its solidity, seems to mourn the fleeting beauty of the flowers. Blue for sadness, perhaps? He sets up a silent play of opposites. It makes me wonder: did Redon believe that joy and sorrow were two sides of the same coin? It certainly gives us a different context than what initially strikes one, don’t you agree? Editor: Absolutely. I originally saw just vibrancy, but the contrast gives the piece a more layered meaning. The vibrancy underscores a deep sense of fragility. Did Redon create much other artwork in this genre? Curator: Flowers were a favorite theme, late in his career. He saw them, I think, as portraits. Brief portraits, like moments in time that couldn’t last. Did we see sadness in the solid vase and flowers' vibrancy, as he sought to express in art what he couldn't put into words? Editor: It definitely feels like the more you look at it, the more you discover, in a contemplative sense, like one can uncover a meaning about the nature of existence. Curator: Perhaps Redon would say that we see our own thoughts in them, too. It's what I take away when I reflect on his flower portraits!