1st Exhibition of the Humorists (2nd Version) 1911

Curator: Look at this intriguing lithograph by Jean-Louis Forain, titled "1st Exhibition of the Humorists (2nd Version)," created in 1911. It’s held right here at the Art Institute of Chicago. Editor: Well, my first thought is… feisty! The movement! The way the dancer’s leg is cocked—she’s aiming a swift kick at that top hat floating in the air. Wonderful line work! Curator: Exactly. Forain was known for capturing Parisian life, especially the world of entertainment. What strikes me is the interplay between the dancer, presumably a performer, and that decontextualized hat and vague facial shapes that may have represented the object of the kick. The drawing medium heightens the scene's immediacy and accessibility—its subject may not always be accessible, yet the method of rendering is. Editor: I wonder what she is thinking in that exact moment? She is so strong; it is like a battle with the patriarchy with an impressionist flourish. The swift, confident strokes of ink feel rebellious, almost punk rock for the period, wouldn't you say? Is she expressing something through performance, maybe challenging social expectations of the era? It feels so raw and playful. Curator: Perhaps she embodies that rebellious spirit of performance itself. Note how the loose brushstrokes almost abstract the scene. The lithographic process, a form of printmaking that allows for a textured surface, suggests both mass production and manual craft. Editor: And there is a dark undertone to that expression of liberation, no? Those minimal sketches of a head next to the hat add this… haunted element. As if it is not just an actual hat, but also the remnants of lost ideals. And perhaps that's the true punchline here, as it speaks to something deeper than a mere physical performance. Curator: The simplicity in materials—pen, ink, paper—further grounds it. But beyond personal reflection, consider the role of these "humorists." How does this image contribute to a broader commentary about social mobility and the roles of class performance in early 20th century France? Editor: It has that emotional ambiguity, where humor dances with this underlying anxiety. The drawing has certainly grown on me. Curator: Agreed. It offers more layers the more you look. The economy of line conveys dynamism, and the humor reveals poignant insights into social life.