Odilon redon pollarded tree

This spare portrayal of a V-shaped tree finds formal echoes across the composition, from the stump at left to the spindly plant in the foreground.

The retreating, isolated figure bracketed by the central tree and hollowed-out stump lends an air of melancholy to the drawing.

The Trees - Odilon Redon — Google Arts & Culture

Trees were a constant and significant motif for the Symbolist artist and one especially associated with the region of his childhood, Médoc, in the southwest of France. With the ship in the distance, locating this view on the coast, it seems a likely source of inspiration for this scene too.

This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left.

Scroll left to view more.