Au front de Vincennes. Bolo pacha c. 1914 - 1919

Jean-Louis Forain made this drawing Au front de Vincennes. Bolo pacha with dark charcoal lines on paper, and it looks like a study for a larger painting. Imagine the artist outside, on location, quickly sketching the figures of two men, probably thinking about composition, and how to capture the psychological tension of the moment. It looks like there are other figures in the background, or maybe that’s a fence, or the barest of buildings… Whatever it is, the artist is trying to capture the vastness of the space. I am drawn to the way the charcoal marks capture the weight of their clothes and the texture of the scene. The rapid, expressive lines suggest the emotional intensity of the situation, with the blank areas around the figures enhancing the sense of isolation. The artist is showing us a charged political moment, in a time of war. It makes me think about Goya and Daumier and the powerful ways that artists can show us the horrors of war, and prompt us to reflect on the human condition.