Rue à Fontarabie

Fontarabie, also known as Fuenterrabia, was a small village in the Spanish Basque region in the province of Guipùzcoa. Its name meant "river made of sand." Redon visited the village on three occasions in 1861, 1878 and 1900. During the time of his visits the region was considered unspoiled by industrialism and attracted artists who were drawn there by its exotic character and unique language and customs. Redon wrote a fictionalized account of his travels in the Basque region which he titled Un séjour dans le pays Basque. Redon was haunted by his recollections and his paintings convey the depth of his personal identification with the region. The present painting is a poignant testament to the conflicting issues that Redon struggled to reconcile throughout his life: the delight he took in the environs themselves and the deeply felt loneliness and isolation that they evoked within him.