Orpheus
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. The subject also aligned with Redon's broader interest in dreams and spirituality around this time and he represented Orpheus several times throughout his career, in various media. Here, the god's head floats as if in stasis while Mount Parnassus—the home of Apollo and the Muses—soars from behind.
Details
- Palette
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- Medium
- pastel on brown paper
- Dimensions
- sheet: height 0.688 m, width 0.568 m
- Origin
- France
- Department
- Drawings
- Holding institution
- Cleveland Museum of Art
- Image provider
- cleveland-museum-of-art
- License
- CC0-1.0
- Credit
- Gift from J. H. Wade
Art Genome Taxonomy
9 tags
Subject Matter
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Classical Mythology Metadata · 99%
The museum identifies the subject as Orpheus, the mythic poet and musician, and names Mount Parnassus, associated with Apollo and the Muses.
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Portraits without a Face Both · 91%
The image shows a large head-like form with no visible facial features; its identification as Orpheus is supplied by the museum catalog.
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Landscapes Both · 88%
A substantial mountainous setting occupies the upper and middle portions of the image, and the museum identifies the mountain as Mount Parnassus.
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Haze Visual · 82%
Diffuse transitions and partially softened contours make the mountain and surrounding forms appear enveloped in atmospheric haze.
Visual Qualities
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Dark Colors Visual · 91%
Deep purples, blue-greens, browns, and near-black passages dominate the lower and right portions of the composition.
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Pastel Colors Visual · 90%
Lavender, pink, pale blue, ocher, and muted yellow passages form a soft, light-toned palette across the sky, mountain, and figure.
Medium and Techniques
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Drawing Metadata · 99%
The museum classifies the object as a drawing.
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Pastel Metadata · 99%
The medium is cataloged as pastel on brown paper; the image visibly shows granular, layered dry-media marks.
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Work on Paper Metadata · 98%
The work is executed on brown paper and is cataloged by the museum as a drawing on paper.
Source & rights
Odilon Redon (French, 1840–1916). Orpheus. Cleveland Museum of Art.