The source of inspiration for Verlaine’s “Tête de pipe”

Verlaine dedicated his poem “Tête de pipe” (Épigrammes, 1894) to Odilon Redon. The source of inspiration for this poem is probably to be found in Redon’s etching entitled “Passage d’une âme,” reproduced as a frontispiece for La Passante (1892) by Adrien Remacle. The general resemblance between the poem and the etching is evident, and the probable date of composition further supports the hypothesis. It is also possible that Verlaine was inspired by the content of La Passante itself.