France, 19th century / c. 1890
Symbolic Head
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Symbolic Head as painting (France, 19th century · c. 1890).
Symbolism was a reaction against Realism and Redon is one of the most important artists affiliated with this movement. The symbolist painters used mystical dreamlike images that were highly personal in their work.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this painting as oil on paper mounted on canvas and credits Odilon Redon (French, 1840–1916).
The museum's collection notes: One of Redon’s favorite themes was a head depicted in profile, sometimes separated from the body to symbolize the spirit released from the material world. It also suggests a metaphor for abandoning physical reality for the inner realm of dreams, fantasy, and poetic reverie. This painting conveys the idea of inward-turning vision by framing the head in a series of collapsing rectangles. Conservation analysis confirms that the figure is a woman wearing a helmet and holding a green staff in her right hand.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtSymbolic HeadOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.