Odilon Redon

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Quote, price and estimation of the artist Odilon Redon

Price of a painting by the artist: 800 – 2,800,000 €.

Price of a drawing by the artist: 3,000 – 2,000,000 €.

Estimation of a print by the artist: 80 – 33,200 €.

If you would like to have a work by Odillon Redon appraised, our experts will take care of everything.

Odilon Redon’s youth

Odilon Redon was born in Bordeaux in 1840 to a father who became wealthy thanks to the colonisation of New Orleans. He was cared for by one of his uncles on the remote estate of Peyrelebade, in the middle of the forest and marshy ponds. At the age of 20, he decided to go to Paris to study architecture, which he did not take entirely seriously, as well as painting, which he practised in the studio of the famous painter Jean-Léon Gérome.

At the age of thirty, Redon was enlisted in the Franco-Prussian war.

Contrast between life and work

In relation to his artistic production, his marriage to the very young Creole, Camille Falte, went hand in hand with a new confidence in his work, also thanks to the support of the artist Rodolphe Bresdin. His work found a place among well-informed art lovers. At the age of 25, his lithographs began to establish themselves in this market of connoisseurs. His important works of the time are Les Origines, Dans le Rêve, La Nuit, La Maison hantée…

The paradox of such a prolific imagination in terms of monstrosity contrasts with the calm of his existence. He worked on his charcoals, his “black paintings” every summer on the Peyrelebade estate, which became his property after his father’s death, then returned to Paris in winter where he finished his summer work. Peyrelebade was both his place of sorrow and inspiration.

He lost his property in 1890, but had, it seems, already overcome his anguish there and drawn inspiration from it. He then turned the page on his dark period, his lithographs and charcoal, at the same time as he left his father’s estate behind.

Poetic imagination versus superficial impressionism

Over the course of time, Redon became connected with everything to do with the world of post-impressionist painting and Symbolist literature. He began to become an important artistic personality of his time, but his moment of glory came when, in 1886, Redon was invited to the exhibition of the Group of Twenties in Brussels, a group that was then the best of what the contemporary art scene had to offer at the time. Redon defended the power of poetic imagination against superficial impressionism and naturalistic illusionism. He wrote autobiographical notes for himself that were published posthumously under the title À soi-même. This became one of the most important works of this genre.

Around the age of sixty, he travelled to France, Holland, and England where he also exhibited. During this time, he presented paintings and pastels of rare chromatic quality. For if his painting referred to an invisible world, of dreams and fantasies, what he produced towards the end of his life communicated with “the wonders of the visible world”. He was one of the first artists to place colour as a constructive and constitutive element of painting rather than an emulative element.

Recognising O. Redon’s signature

Like many artists, Odilon Redon did not sign all of his works. However, you will find below an example of the signatures to give you an idea. Variations of these signatures do exist, do not hesitate to contact one of our experts to formally authenticate a signature.

Appraising and selling a piece by Odilon Redon

If you own a piece by Odilon Redon or any other object, ask for a free estimate via our online form.

You will then be contacted by a member of our team of experts and auctioneers to give you an independent view of the market price of your piece. In the context of a possible sale, our specialists will also advise you on the different options available to sell your work at the best price.