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This is a drawing of two figures against a backdrop of a town with a church steeple. The drawing captures a scene in which one figure appears to comfort or support the other. The lines are expressive, using light and dark contrasts for movement and emotion. The background shows the outline of a town with buildings and a church steeple, suggesting a village or town setting. The use of space and line creates a narrative moment blending the figures' interaction with their surroundings in a minimalistic style.
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This is a drawing of two figures against a backdrop of a town with a church steeple. The drawing captures a scene in which one figure appears to comfort or support the other. The lines are expressive, using light and dark contrasts for movement and emotion. The background shows the outline of a town with buildings and a church steeple, suggesting a village or town setting. The use of space and line creates a narrative moment blending the figures' interaction with their surroundings in a minimalistic style.

National Gallery of Art · Drawing

After Douai

Jean-Louis Forain

Date
probably 1918
Medium
brush and black ink on laid paper
Dimensions
overall: 31.7 x 48.2 cm (12 1/2 x 19 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Accession number
1943.3.4111
Credit line
Rosenwald Collection
Time span
1901 to 1925
Department
CG-E
Original NGA record Wikidata

Subjects and terms

  • French
  • Impressionist
  • World War I
  • military
Provenance

Lessing J. Rosenwald [1891-1979], Jenkintown, PA; gift to NGA, 1943.

Inscription

"forain" lower right margin, graphite, artist's hand. Not dated. "Après Douai. "Les troupes allemandes ont reçu l'ordre le plus formel d'éparquer la propriété prirée." Solf. Sans doute, l'ordre h'était pasencore arrivé..." lower margin, graphite, unknown hand. "A 2363" lower right margin, graphite, unknown hand. Verso: none.

Marks

"LRJ" verso, black stamped ink, (Lugt 1760b). "National Gallery of Art" verso, black stamped ink, (Lugt 1932d).

Watermarks

"J"

NGA object ID 7230. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.