Pandora

ca. 1914
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 813
In classical mythology, Pandora was a supremely beautiful woman created by the gods and sent to Earth to live among mortals. Redon depicts her nude, in a state of perfect innocence, and surrounded by flowers, like the biblical Eve in the Garden of Eden. According to legend, when Pandora opened the box cradled in her arms, she released all the evils destined to plague humanity, bringing to an end the idyllic Golden Age. This painting is thought to have been made about 1914, on the eve of World War I, when the themes of harmony destroyed and chaos unleashed may have had heightened resonance.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Pandora
  • Artist: Odilon Redon (French, Bordeaux 1840–1916 Paris)
  • Date: ca. 1914
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
  • Dimensions: 56 1/2 x 24 1/2 in. (143.5 x 62.2 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Bequest of Alexander M. Bing, 1959
  • Object Number: 60.19.1
  • Curatorial Department: European Paintings

More Artwork

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.