Evocation of Roussel

Odilon Redon

National Gallery of Art

A balding man with peach-colored skin and a drooping white mustache is surrounded by flowers floating in a blue sky with apricot-colored clouds in this vertical painting. He is shown from the waist up facing us at the bottom center. He seems to wear a midnight blue tunic over a white shirt, but his clothing is loosely painted. He looks down to our right, and his head is surrounded by an area of brownish gold to create a halo-like effect. Upon closer inspection, the peach clouds turn out to be areas of bare canvas. A sunflower, orange flowers, and a cluster of white and red flowers float in the space around the man. Some areas are thinly painted, and strokes are visible throughout.