Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Silence in Talk

Le Silence, 1900
Odilon Redon

to J.



I first saw the Symbolist painter Odilon Redon's work Le Silence at a museum somewhere on the coast of France during the summer of 1985 when I was backpacking through by myself. Yes, by myself for three weeks. I don't think I spoke ten words during that time, and it was glorious. The painting knocked me flat. I've called upon the peace of it, in my mind, hundreds of times since and most recently today after an exchange with a beautiful human being.

Thank you, J. And yes:

Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.
Pablo Picasso

6 comments:

  1. Mesmerizing and serene. I wish I owned it.

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  2. It's mesmerizing, serene. I want it.

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  3. I love that quote. I had a year old baby and was in my second year of nursing in 1985. Your trip sounds way more fun.

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  4. Lily Cedar- how strange! In 1985 I graduated nursing school and had a new baby and two older children. How did we do it?
    Elizabeth, you never cease to amaze me and that quote is a good one. I think that for some of us, it is nature that takes the place of art, washing away the dust of every day life.
    Or both. Yes. Definitely. Both.

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