Druidesse 1892

Odilon Redon made this lithograph, called Druidesse, at the end of the 19th century. At the time, the Celtic legends were a source of inspiration for artists and writers. This interest in the occult was a reaction against the rise of scientific rationalism, a search for alternative spiritual paths. The profile of the Druid priestess emerges from the darkness. Redon worked in what was then the traditional medium of black and white lithography, but he employed it to question the established order. The Druidess is a figure from the past, but in Redon's time she took on a renewed significance as a symbol of resistance against the modern world. To understand the meaning of this image we can research the history of spirituality in France, look at the rise of esoteric movements, and learn more about the artistic institutions that supported and promoted artists like Redon. The meaning of art is never fixed; it changes as society changes.