Des Esseintes, Frontispiece for A Rebours by J.K. Huysmans 1888

Odilon Redon created this lithograph, Des Esseintes, to serve as the frontispiece for J.K. Huysmans’ novel, *A Rebours*. Made in France, it reflects the fin-de-siècle decadence and the symbolist movement's fascination with inner states of consciousness. The image depicts the protagonist, Des Esseintes, an aesthete who retreats from society into a world of artificial pleasures. The dense, swirling lines and shadowy forms evoke a sense of psychological turmoil, mirroring the character's alienation and spiritual crisis. The bookshelf in the background suggests the character’s intellectual and aesthetic pursuits. Redon's choice of lithography enhances the dreamlike, ethereal quality of the image, inviting viewers into Des Esseintes's subjective experience. By studying the literary and artistic contexts of the time, the role of the illustrated book, and the artist's personal biography, we can more fully appreciate how this image challenges the social and artistic conventions of late 19th-century France.