Redon, Odilon (1840-1916)
Saint Georges et le dragon (Saint George and the Dragon)
c.1909–1910
Oil on paperboard, 53.3 x 67.9 cm
Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia
According to Christian legend, Saint George, a Roman soldier, heroically killed a dragon that was terrorizing a Libyan city, causing the grateful citizens to convert to Christianity. In this painting, Odilon Redon presents the climactic moment of the slaying but makes the gore and the action rather difficult to see, pushing it off to the side. Instead, he relies on the fiery colors of the landscape to create drama. (BF)