In Heaven or Closed Eyes
Currently on view
Odilon Redon (1840 - 1916), 1889
oil on cardboard, 45 cm x 35 cm
Credits: Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (State of the Netherlands)
This woman with her closed eyes is an intriguing figure. She symbolizes Redon’s views on art. Essentially, he wanted to turn his gaze inwards. Undistracted by visible reality, he found the true inspiration for his art in that inner world. The woman’s halo underlines the spiritual resonance of the image.
In 1889, Odilon Redon noted the sale of this painting to Theo van Gogh in his account book. He was still calling it In Heaven at that time. Later, he gave it its present title: Closed Eyes. In 1890, Theo also bought a print featuring one of Redon’s many variations on the same theme.
Download the catalogue entry PDF, 1.8 MB
- Object number
- s0500N1999
- Dimensions
- 45 cm x 35 cm, 74.3 cm x 64.5 cm, 8 cm
- Provenance
- Sold by the artist, Paris, to Theo van Gogh, Paris for FRF 200, 8 July 1889; after his death on 25 January 1891 transferred by his widow Jo van Gogh-Bonger, Bussum to his sister Willemina van Gogh, Leiden; sold by Willemina van Gogh, probably through Joan van Houten, to Andries Bonger, Amsterdam, between March and August 1907; after his death on 20 January 1936 inherited by his widow, Françoise W.M. Bonger-van der Borch van Verwolde, Amsterdam; after her death in 1975 bequeathed to her heirs, the Netherlands; donated by these heirs to the State of the Netherlands to be placed in the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, 18 December 1999.
- artist
- Odilon Redon
- Credits
- Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (State of the Netherlands)
Copenhagen, Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Odilon Redon. Into the dream, 11 October 2018-20 January 2019
Otterlo, Kröller-Müller Museum, Odilon Redon: Literatuur en Muziek, 2 June-9 September 2018, no. 24
Riehen, Fondation Beyeler, Odilon Redon, 2 February-18 May 2014, no. geen catnr. / no cat. no.
Madrid, Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Surrealism and the dream, 8 October 2013-14 January 2014, no. 14
Madrid, Fundación MAPFRE, Odilon Redon, 11 February-29 April 2012, no. 51
Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, Odilon Redon en Emile Bernard. Meesterwerken uit de collectie van Andries Bonger, 10 April-20 September 2009, no. 100
Gifu, Museum of Fine Arts Gifu, Odilon Redon : le souci de l'absolu, 8 October-8 December 2002, no. 122
Shimane Art Museum, Odilon Redon : le souci de l'absolu, 2 August-23 September 2002, no. 122
Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, Odilon Redon : Prince of Dreams, 1840-1916, 20 October 1994-15 January 1995, no. Niet in catalogus
Enschede, Rijksmuseum Twenthe, Odilon Redon 1840-1916: Tekeningen, Litho's, Pastels en Schilderijen uit Nederlands bezit, 1 December 1984-20 January 1985, no. 18
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, André Bonger en zijn kunstenaarsvrienden: Redon, Bernard, Van Gogh, 6 June-6 August 1972, no. 10
The Hague, Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, Odilon Redon, 3 May-23 June 1957, no. 172
Arnhem, Vereeniging voor Beeldende Kunst (Arnhem), Tentoonstelling van Odilon Redon: Schilderijen, tekeningen, litho’s, 26 March-4 April 1948, no. 7
Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Moderne Kunst Kring: Ouvrages de peinture, sculpture, dessin, gravure: exposée au Musée Municipal Suasso, 6 October-7 November 1912, no. 107
Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum, Moderne Kunst Kring, 6 October-5 November 1911, no. 107
Amsterdam, Larensche Kunsthandel, Catalogus der tentoonstelling van werken van Odilon Redon (alles particulier bezit), 7-14 May 1909, no. 14
The Hague, Haagsche Kunstkring, Odilon Redon, 20 May-1 July 1894
Brussels, Musée Royal de Peinture et de Sculpture, Les XX. VIIe exposition annuelle, 18 January-23 February 1890, no. 1
Hoeven, Joost van der, Roos Rosa de Carvalho, Fleur, Blok, Franka, Smit, Lisa, Reid, Nina, Suijver, Renske, Tas, Sara, Contemporaries of Van Gogh 1 : works collected by Theo and Vincent, Amsterdam, 2023
Tilburg, Merel van, Gamboni, Dario, Bonger, Andries, Redon, Odilon, « Sans adieu » : Andries Bonger – Odilon Redon : correspondance 1894-1916, Paris, 2022
Gamboni, Dario, The brush and the pen : Odilon Redon and literature, Chicago, 2017, pp. 203, 218
Bouvier, Raphaël, Hauptman, Jodi, Stuffmann, M., Odilon Redon, Ostfildern, 2014, pp. 14-15, 20, 67-68, 74-75, 169
Jiménez, José, Ades, Dawn, Sebbag, Georges, Surrealism and the dream, Madrid, 2013, pp. 41, 109, 345
Rapetti, Rodolphe, Leeman, Fred, Cogeval, Guy, Odilon Redon : [1840-1916], Madrid, 2012, pp. 196-198
Leeman, Fred, Roos Rosa de Carvalho, Fleur, Vergeest, Aukje, Stolwijk, Chris, Odilon Redon en Emile Bernard : meesterwerken uit de collectie van Andries Bonger, Amsterdam, 2009, pp. 72-73, 98-99, 121
Leeman, Fred, Roos Rosa de Carvalho, Fleur, Vergeest, Aukje, Stolwijk, Chris, Odilon Redon and Emile Bernard : masterpieces from the Andries Bonger collection, Amsterdam, 2009, pp. 72-73, 98-99, 121
Boitelle, René, Berg, Klaas-Jan van den, Goetz, E., A technical examination of Odilon Redon's paintings from the Bonger collection, Van Gogh Museum, pp. 67, 69, 73-75, 77
Larson, B, The dark side of nature : science, society, and the fantastic in the work of Odilon Redon, University Park, 2005, p. 140
Synnestvedt, D., Faith and learning at Bryn Athyn College of the New Church, Bryn Athyn, 2004, pp. 97-98
Stolwijk, Chris, Veenenbos, H., Heugten, Sjraar van, The account book of Theo van Gogh and Jo van Gogh-Bonger, Leiden, 2002, pp. 16, 43, 139, 200
Yamamoto, A., Odilon Redon : le souci de l'absolu, 2002, pp. 98, 206
Vergeest, Aukje, The French collection : nineteenth-century French paintings in Dutch public collections, Amsterdam, 2000, p. 274
Inhoudelijk jaarverslag 1999 : stichting Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, 2000, p. 21
Recent acquisitions by the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, p. 600
Leeman, Fred, Sharp, Kevin, Vroege verzamelaars van Redon in Nederland, pp. 17, 23 en p. 27, nn. 27 en 30
Decroocq, M.-C., Lacau St. Guily, A., Wildenstein, Alec, Odilon Redon : catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre peint et dessiné, Paris, 1992-1998, vol. 1: pp. 173, 188
Chaban-Delmas, J., Coustet, Robert, Huyghe, René, Martin-Méry, G., Odilon Redon 1840-1916, Bordeaux, 1985, p. 161
Kolks, Z., Niermeyer, M., Uitert, Evert van, Odilon Redon 1840-1916 : tekeningen, litho's, pastels en schilderijen uit Nederlands bezit, Enschede, 1984, p. 13
Wildenstein, Alec, Redon, Paris, 1982, pp. 22, 50
Maus, O., Delevoy, R.L., Les XX Bruxelles : catalogue des dix expositions annuelles, Bruxelles, 1981, p. 208
Groot, I.M. de, André Bonger en zijn kunstenaarsvrienden Redon, Bernard, Van Gogh, Amsterdam, 1972, p. 16
Berger, K., Odilon Redon : Phantasie und Farbe, Köln, 1964, p. 185
Bacou, Roseline, Redon, Odilon, Lettres de Gauguin, Gide, Huysmans, Jammes, Mallarmé, Verhaeren à Odilon Redon, Paris, 1960, p. 294, n. 3, en p. 164
Sandström, Sven, Le monde imaginaire d'Odilon Redon : étude iconologique, New York, 1955, pp. 164–165
Leblond, Marius-Ary, Lettres d'Odilon Redon (1878-1916), Paris [etc.], 1923, p. 78
Giovanni, De tentoonstelling van den Modernen Kunstkring, p. 6
De ultra-moderne tentoonstelling, p. 2
Viola, Maria, Odilon Redon in de Violier, p. 5
Kikkert, Conrad, Schilderkunst : Odilon Redon, p. 10
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The painting in the original frame
