# Orpheus, in Odilon Redon

Odilon Redon drew this in about 1903–10, aged about 58. It is now at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

From the museum's label:

> Drawn in vivid layers of pastel crayon, this work depicts the head of the poet and musician Orpheus. The story of the god of music, whose music carried on after his death through his lyre and head, fascinated Redon, who related to Orpheus's dedication to his art.

_Text from the Cleveland Museum of Art._

[Read the full label](https://www.ochreeditions.com/art/orpheus-cma-108544#about-work)

## The work

- Date: c. 1903–10
- Medium: pastel on brown paper
- Dimensions: Sheet: 68.8 x 56.8 cm (27 1/16 x 22 3/8 in.)
- Type: Drawing
- Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art, 1926.25
- Licence: CC0 1.0

## The artist

[Odilon Redon](https://www.ochreeditions.com/artists/odilon-redon), French, 1840–1916

Redon spent three decades working almost entirely in black: charcoal drawings he called his “noirs” and albums of lithographs peopled with floating eyes, strange plants and dreamlike heads, which made him a hero of the Symbolist writers.

7 works in the collection.

## Walk on

- [Odilon Redon's contemporaries](https://www.ochreeditions.com/galleries/artist/contemporaries-of-odilon-redon?hang=748) (8 works)
- [More Post-Impressionism](https://www.ochreeditions.com/galleries/style/post-impressionism?hang=748) (62 works)
- [19th-century France](https://www.ochreeditions.com/galleries/era/19-france?hang=748) (237 works)

## Get it

- [Print this work](https://www.ochreeditions.com/art/orpheus-cma-108544#print)
- Free download, full resolution: https://img.ochreeditions.com/m/516.jpg?dl=1
- [The work's page](https://www.ochreeditions.com/art/orpheus-cma-108544)