Le depart pour Versailles c. 1919

Jean-Louis Forain made this sketch, called 'Le depart pour Versailles', with ink and pencil on paper. In this image, we find two figures against a blank background. A woman, dressed in what appears to be a nightgown, sits hunched over and weeping. Behind her, a man with a briefcase stands with his hand on her back. The title and the figures' expressions suggest a specific historical context. The piece was made in France around the time of the First World War when Versailles was a place of conferences and treaties, where many politicians retreated. The loose and sketchy lines could indicate the urgency and anxiety of the time. Forain's choice of subject matter, as well as his style, reflects a changing attitude towards art and its role in society, a shift from idealized depictions towards more critical and socially engaged commentary. To fully appreciate such pieces, historians consult a range of sources, from political documents and social commentaries to personal letters and diaries, in order to situate the artwork within its complex web of social and institutional relations.