Félinerie

Artist Odilon Redon French, 1840 - 1916

Date1879

MediumLithograph

DimensionsOverall: 19 1/2 × 14 3/16 in. (49.5 × 36 cm)
Matboard: 20 × 16 5/8 in. (50.8 × 42.2 cm)

ClassificationsPrints

Credit LineThe Sparling Family Collection

Object number2025.1.62

On View

Not on view

SignedPrinted at top right corner of print: "Odilon Redon"

MarkingsOn front bottom left corner in pencil: "Dans la reve - Felinerie. A.M.[?] tire a [?]" On front bottom right corner in pencil: "Redon" On verso bottom edge left of center in pencil: "APG 18406" On verso down right of center in pencil: "443" above horizontal line, "n77" below horizontal line

DescriptionBlack and white print of dream-like scene. In the image, a young girl stands in profile on the right-hand side, behind a counter in the bottom right corner. Her black hair is tucked under a white cap she wears, and her long-sleeve white shirt has a scarf/embellishment around the collar. She has a large eye and prominent nose. Her her left-hand rests at the edge of the counter with her fingers facing to the left. The girl stares at a male figure sitting on the counter. The man sits with his proper right leg extended forward, and his proper left leg bent so that his left foot rests on the counter. His proper left arm extends out to the side and behind him to hold onto the edge of the counter, while his proper right arm extends out in front of him to grab his right knee. While his body is facing forward, his head is turned in profile to stare at the girl. His eyes and nose are both set in sharp downward angles, and his mouth is just a fine line. The man seems to be wearing a white long sleeve top, with a fancy collar similar to the girl's, and pants (although it is hard to tell where they start or if they are connected to the top). The environment around these two figures is nothing more than hatch marks and ink, with the background directly in between the two figures being the darkest and fading into lighter grays/white as it moves away from center.

Top right corner above print: "PL. 7."
Bottom left corner below print: "Odilon Redon del. et lith."
Bottom right corner below print: "[?] Lemercier & Cie, Paris."

The image is itself typically enigmatic. Redon's title does not appear to be a dictionary word, but clearly seems to imply things having to do with cats: slyness, stealth, etc. This is one of the rarer Redon prints, the only edition being limited to 25 impressions.ProvenanceC. & J. Goodfriend, New York City; purchased by Tobin Sparling, Little Rock, Arkansas, May 31, 2012; given to The Hyde Collection, Glens Falls, New York, 2025.