A night without stars: The interior worlds of Redon and the Romantics

A night without stars: The interior worlds of Redon and the Romantics
Odilon Redon
Dans l'ombre, des gens pleurent et prient entourés d'autres qui les exhortent (In the Shadow People are Weeping and Praying, Surrounded by Others Who are Exhorting Them)
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o

Exhibition Details

During a period in which scientific discovery made the mechanics of the world increasingly visible, artists from the late 18th and 19th centuries retreated into the fantasy of the invisible. Reflecting the 18th-century critic Johann Jakob Bodmer’s assertion that, ‘imagination outstrips all the world’s magicians’, Romantic and Symbolist artists viewed the human mind as being empowered with unfathomable forces defying scientific explanation and demanding expression. 

The Symbolist artist Odilon Redon combined the influences of Rembrandt and the Romantic artists William Blake, Henry Fuseli, Francisco Goya and Eugène Delacroix to express an inner world immersed in the shadow of reason. In drawing together these artists’ mysterious and haunting artworks, this exhibition examines how Redon, the Romantics, and their circle of influence explored a world beyond the visible, creating realities that were subjectively felt rather than objectively seen. 

Date
Curated by
Emma Jameson
Location
Mezzanine level

related artworks

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The Sons of God Shout for Joy
The Sons of God Shout for Joy

William Blake

Production date
1825
Medium
engraving
Size (h x w)
534 x 432 x 22 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1980
Accession no
1980/10/14
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Not on display

Satan Destroys Job's Sons and Daughters
Satan Destroys Job's Sons and Daughters

William Blake

Production date
1825
Medium
engraving
Size (h x w)
533 x 432 x 22 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1980
Accession no
1980/10/3
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Not on display

The Lord Answers Job Out of the Whirlwind
The Lord Answers Job Out of the Whirlwind

William Blake

Production date
1825
Medium
engraving
Size (h x w)
534 x 433 x 22 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1980
Accession no
1980/10/13
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Not on display

Drame d'Interieur (interior drama)
Drame d'Interieur (interior drama)

Emile-Antoine Bourdelle

Production date
circa 1899-1905
Medium
bronze
Size (h x w)
610 x 380 x 330 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1959
Accession no
1959/17/2
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Not on display

La Tentation de St Antoine (The Temptation of Saint Anthony)
La Tentation de St Antoine (The Temptation of Saint Anthony)

Jacques Callot

Production date
1634
Medium
etching with engraving
Size (h x w)
360 x 467 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1957
Accession no
1957/31/3
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Not on display

La Lecture
La Lecture

Eugene Carriere

Production date
1896
Medium
lithograph
Size (h x w)
296 x 244 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1983
Accession no
1983/15/1
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Not on display

Un Forgeron
Un Forgeron

Eugene Delacroix

Production date
1833
Medium
aquatint
Size (h x w)
228 x 163 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1955
Accession no
1955/42/6
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Not on display

Eros and Psyche
Eros and Psyche

Henry Fuseli

Production date
1808
Medium
pen, pencil and watercolour
Size (h x w)
233 x 358 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1965
Accession no
1965/63
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Not on display

The Temptation of Brother Anthony
The Temptation of Brother Anthony

Tony Fomison

Production date
1983
Medium
oil on hessian on board
Size (h x w)
655 x 655 x 60 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Chartwell Gift Collection, 2009
Accession no
2009/28/3
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Not on display

The Great Father and Ancient Night
The Great Father and Ancient Night

Henry Fuseli

Production date
circa 1800-circa 1810
Medium
pencil, grey wash and blue wash
Size (h x w)
665 x 493 x 28 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1965
Accession no
1965/73
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Not on display

Pobrecitas!. (Poor Little Girls!).
Pobrecitas!. (Poor Little Girls!).

Francisco de Goya y Lucientes

Production date
circa 1799
Medium
etching and burnished aquatint
Size (h x w)
216 x 150 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1959
Accession no
1959/16/1/1
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Not on display

Las rinde el sueño. (Sleep Overcomes Them).
Las rinde el sueño. (Sleep Overcomes Them).

Francisco de Goya y Lucientes

Production date
circa 1799
Medium
etching and burnished aquatint
Size (h x w)
215 x 151 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1959
Accession no
1959/16/1/2
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Not on display

Lycidas
Lycidas

Moses Haughton Henry Fuseli

Production date
1803
Medium
aquatint
Size (h x w)
286 x 239 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1982
Accession no
1982/35
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Not on display

Al toro y al aire dar les calle (Make Way for the Bulls and Wind). (Make Way For the Bulls and Wnd).
Al toro y al aire dar les calle (Make Way for the Bulls and Wind). (Make Way For...

Francisco de Goya y Lucientes

Production date
1877
Medium
etching, aquatint and drypoint
Size (h x w)
240 x 353 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1981
Accession no
1981/50/61
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Not on display

Cain and Abel
Cain and Abel

Odilon Redon

Production date
1886
Medium
etching
Size (h x w)
184 x 120 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1960
Accession no
1960/15/1
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Not on display

Dans l'ombre, des gens pleurent et prient entourés d'autres qui les exhortent (In the Shadow People are Weeping and Praying, Surrounded by Others Who are Exhorting Them)
Dans l'ombre, des gens pleurent et prient entourés d'autres qui les exhortent (I...

Odilon Redon

Production date
1896
Medium
lithograph
Size (h x w)
261 x 214 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1985
Accession no
1985/61
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Not on display

Immédiatement Surgissent Trois Déesses (Immediately Three Goddesses Arise)
Immédiatement Surgissent Trois Déesses (Immediately Three Goddesses Arise)

Odilon Redon

Production date
1896
Medium
lithograph, Chine-collé
Size (h x w)
230 x 164 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1958
Accession no
1958/14/1
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Not on display

L’intelligence fut à moi! Je devins le Buddha (Intelligence was mine! I became the Buddha)
L’intelligence fut à moi! Je devins le Buddha (Intelligence was mine! I became t...

Odilon Redon

Production date
1895
Medium
lithograph
Size (h x w)
308 x 214 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1961
Accession no
1961/5/1
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Not on display

Saint Jerome in a Dark Chamber
Saint Jerome in a Dark Chamber

Rembrandt van Rijn

Production date
1642
Medium
etching
Size (h x w)
147 x 173 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1955
Accession no
1955/42/11
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Not on display

The Agony in the Garden
The Agony in the Garden

Rembrandt van Rijn

Production date
circa 1657
Medium
drypoint
Size (h x w)
82 x 111 mm
Credit line
Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
Accession no
M1885/14/1/1
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Not on display

The Presentation in the Temple
The Presentation in the Temple

Rembrandt van Rijn

Production date
circa 1639
Medium
etching and drypoint
Size (h x w)
213 x 290 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1981
Accession no
1981/50/113
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Not on display

Illustration from Homiletic Book: To be a bad man must be bad
Illustration from Homiletic Book: To be a bad man must be bad

Unknown artist

Production date
19th century
Medium
etching
Size (h x w)
135 x 73 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
Accession no
U/232
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Not on display

Selene and Endymion
Selene and Endymion

Henry Fuseli

Production date
1810
Medium
pen, pencil and watercolour
Size (h x w)
373 x 302 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1965
Accession no
1965/76
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Not on display

Elihu rebukes Job and his friends
Elihu rebukes Job and his friends

William Blake

Production date
1825
Medium
engraving
Size (h x w)
534 x 432 x 22 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1980
Accession no
1980/10/12
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Not on display

Job's Despair
Job's Despair

William Blake

Production date
1825
Medium
engraving
Size (h x w)
534 x 432 x 22 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1980
Accession no
1980/10/8
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Not on display

Que viene el Coco. (Here Comes the Bogey-man).
Que viene el Coco. (Here Comes the Bogey-man).

Francisco de Goya y Lucientes

Production date
circa 1799
Medium
etching with burnished aquatint
Size (h x w)
216 x 151 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Peter Tomory Collection, purchased 2004
Accession no
2004/30/67
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Not on display

Volaverunt. (They Have Flown).
Volaverunt. (They Have Flown).

Francisco de Goya y Lucientes

Production date
circa 1799
Medium
etching with aquatint and drypoint
Size (h x w)
214 x 150 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1971
Accession no
1971/14/1
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Not on display

Si resucitará?. (Will She Rise Again?).
Si resucitará?. (Will She Rise Again?).

Francisco de Goya y Lucientes

Production date
circa 1810-1820
Medium
etching and burnisher
Size (h x w)
171 x 220 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1959
Accession no
1959/16/2/3
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Not on display

Murió la Verdad. (Truth Has Died).
Murió la Verdad. (Truth Has Died).

Francisco de Goya y Lucientes

Production date
circa 1816
Medium
etching and burnisher
Size (h x w)
170 x 215 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1959
Accession no
1959/16/2/2
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Not on display

Maternite
Maternite

Eugene Carriere

Production date
1869-1906
Medium
lithograph
Size (h x w)
551 x 354 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1980
Accession no
1980/1