Lourdes, the Paralytic 1912 - 1913

Jean-Louis Forain made this print, Lourdes, the Paralytic, using etching, a medium in which the artist manipulates a metal plate with acid. The image feels as if it is emerging through trial, error, and intuition. I sympathize with Forain, imagining his mark-making, scratching lines into the plate, and building up the image. What was he thinking as he made it? The lines are thin and close together, almost blurring the figures to communicate feeling, intention, or meaning. With simple lines, the artist conjures up a busy location filled with people. It reminds me of the work of Käthe Kollwitz, with its emphasis on the human figure and social commentary. Artists are in an ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas across time, inspiring one another’s creativity. It embraces ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for multiple interpretations and meaning over fixed or definitive readings.