C’etait notre maison c. 1914 - 1919

Editor: This is Jean-Louis Forain’s *C’etait notre maison,* made around 1914-1919, and it seems to be a watercolor drawing. It gives off a somber, ghostly feeling, and everyone seems huddled and lost. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Immediately, the titular phrase, "It was our home," strikes a deep chord. See how Forain renders the figures – not as solid individuals, but as spectral forms. Consider how potent the idea of ‘home’ is; the psychological anchor it represents. The trauma of displacement, visible here, carries an emotional weight across generations. What details strike you as particularly symbolic? Editor: I'm drawn to how unfinished it seems, almost like a memory fading away. The starkness of the landscape amplifies the sense of loss. Are those figures in the back waiting in line? Curator: Precisely. Notice the fragmented architecture in the background – barely there, yet undeniably present. It's a powerful visual metaphor for the disruption of familiar structures, both physical and societal. Those figures *are* lined up, possibly seeking aid or passage, mirroring the mass migrations of that era. What emotional associations do these symbols evoke for you? Editor: Definitely sadness, and a sense of being untethered. It makes you think about all the things a ‘home’ provides besides shelter. Curator: Exactly! Forain encapsulates the shattering of collective memory through these seemingly simple watercolor strokes. A destroyed home equates to a destroyed history, and a fragile future. Editor: I hadn’t thought about how architectural fragmentation represents social upheaval too. Curator: Yes, and reflecting upon such collective loss, this piece underscores how profoundly shared spaces shape personal and cultural identity. A home provides much more than protection. It acts as a mnemonic device for remembering our past. Editor: Thank you for helping me look at it that way!