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Redon, Odilon - the Chariot of Apollo series
Identifier
008023
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
The roller coaster ride between the abyss and the heights that he went through spiritually. As he had been burnt by fire on a figurative basis, he chose Apollo as the sun god to show the overall theme. Notice that despite the plunging violent nature of his life the paintings are not gloomy or black they are full of colour and life and convey a sort of exhausting journey mentally. He could equally well have chosen Phaeton as his symbolic figure, although maybe he hoped he wouldn't come to the sticky end that Phaeton did.