Sur le Rhin c. 1914 - 1919

Jean-Louis Forain made "Sur le Rhin," a drawing that captures a moment with simple, expressive marks. You can almost feel the artist's hand moving quickly, deciding what to leave in and what to suggest. Look at how Forain uses line; it's not about perfect representation, but about getting the essence of the scene. The standing soldier is rendered with these bold, confident strokes, while the figure on the ground seems to emerge from the paper with lighter, almost hesitant lines. The contrast between the solid and the ethereal creates a powerful tension. It makes you wonder about their relationship, their story, and the weight of the world around them. It’s this kind of suggestive mark-making that I find so compelling, because it invites the viewer to become a part of the storytelling, completing the picture with their own experiences. Like Daumier, Forain's contemporary, his process really embraced the spirit of the moment.