A la Conference de la Paix 1914 - 1919

Jean-Louis Forain made this lithograph titled, *A la Conference de la Paix*. I love how the grainy lithographic marks conjure up such a powerful sense of place. It’s like the scene is emerging from a fog. The way Forain uses these marks, so delicate and yet so strong, really speaks to the way he understood the medium. Look how the shading on the figures gives them such a weight and presence, despite the simplicity of the lines. There’s a real sense of the weight of history bearing down on these people. Especially the figure on the left, peering into the room. You can almost feel the tension in their shoulders, the slight droop of their head. This reminds me of Daumier, who, like Forain, used printmaking to make astute observations about the world. Both artists were very interested in capturing social scenes with their works.